Agent Max
by Fightingrose
Summary: Maximum Ride is working for the government, without the flock, but when her cover is compromised, she is sent to a safe house, right next door to the flock. Did I mention that the flock turned Max over to Itex? Oh, must've slipped my mind.
1. Chapter 1

Let me tell you something, if you are ever planning on working for the government, don't. Dangerous missions and diabolical plans sound fun to destroy, and they are, but the paperwork can be a bit difficult, all right more than difficult, suicidal. I am not exaggerating, kind of.

You know what, screw paperwork, I'm going home. I pulled on my shoes, and grabbed my purse from my desk.

"I'm out guys, I am sick of paperwork."  
"I hear you girl," said Cam tiredly.

"Lazy butt, I can't believe our own commander would leave us to this paperwork." Luke looked at me reprovingly and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I may be a lazy butt, but I'm a free lazy butt, you however are stuck here. The privileges of command." He scowled at me and went back to his work. The two other people in the team, Sam and Cole shook their heads at me. I threaded my way through the desks, my high heels clicking on the tile floor.

I hit the button for the single elevator that would take me up to the ground floor. The bell dinged and the fingerprint scanner slid out. I pressed my finger into the gel and waited for it to recognize me. The light turned green and the stainless steal doors slid open.

I stepped inside the annoyingly drab elevator. You'd think they'd provide some sort of entertainment for a ten-minute elevator ride.

You might want to know how I came to be working for the government, its kind of a long story, but hey, I've got ten minutes!

It all began when the school captured me, they apparently thought they could make a bit of money off of me, and by God they'd do it! Damn. So anyway, they captured me, did the whole testing thing, and sold me off to the American government. They formed a special team for me to work with, all of them purchased from Itex.

There's Cam, the genius, Luke, the super strength dude, Cole, the telekinesis equipped dude, and Sam, the invisible woman, and then of course there was me, Maximum Ride, avian American and proud of it, and I gained a new power (yay! Not) I am now impervious to injury, the only way I can be killed is if you cut off oxygen, or something, I don't really know cause I'm not dead.

For the first few years I fought the gov, trying to find the flock, botching missions, you know the drill, until I found out how Itex caught me. The flock sold me out, it was either them or me, and apparently it was going to be me. Double damn.

So I gave up fighting and gave them my all. Now I am a happy and safe twenty one year old, until my next mission. Then I could be a dead and buried twenty two year old.

The doors finally dinged open and I stepped out. I put on my sunglasses and was immediately shocked to see two black suits standing there. Black suits are like the minions of the higher ups, the brawn for the brain.

One of them flashed his badge.

"Ms. Ride, we have some bad news. Your identity has been compromised and agents from an unidentified source are on their way now to possibly eliminate you."  
"Well, I didn't see that one coming. What now?"

"We are to transport you to a safe house, you understand that speed is of the utmost importance."  
"Alright, what about the team?"  
"They have not been compromised."

"Okay, take me away." I pushed through the waiting glass doors, the suits right behind me. A black sedan was waiting and I climbed inside.

The car started up and I sat back to wait.

You may be wondering at my distinct lack of kicking and screaming, but quite frankly, I got over that years ago, kind of. The truth is, there is a lot of danger in my field of work, so when suits show up and tell me my cover has been compromised, I shut up and let them drive. It's either that or be kidnapped and held for ransom or forced to do another governments dirty work. I wouldn't mind all that much except for the fact that I would have to leave the team behind, something I cannot, and will not do, and no I am not going soft, I would just be losing some of the best verbal punching bags I've ever had.

An hour or two later, the car came to a stop, and one of the suits opened the door. I stepped past him and stepped onto a sidewalk that wound past a ridiculously charming house. The lawn was emerald green behind a white picket fence. A tree that was destined for tree houses shaded the east side. I sighed and looked at the suits.

"Isn't this just a tad bit big for little old me?" One of them flashed a rare smile.

"Your story is that you just moved in and you're waiting for your husband to join you." He held up a two rings. I grinned and slipped them on my finger.

"And who is my husband?"

"Should his cover be compromised, Agent Luke Smith." Should the rest of the team's cover be compromised, the rest of the team will join you as relatives, visiting for a short time." I nodded and turned towards the house. I knew everything I would need would be waiting for me. Clothes, phones, i-pods, and most importantly, weapons.

I heard the car start up and drive away behind me. I made my way through the gate and up to the white door. I tested the handle to find it unlocked. I stepped inside and saw a beautiful oak floored foyer. A curving stair led to the upstairs rooms, while two other doors led to a kitchen and a family room. I set my purse on the hall table, taking note of the house and car keys that sat there.

Wandering into the kitchen, I grinned. In a way, I hoped Luke would show up soon or else I'd be eating an awful lot of takeout, and it would be such a shame to waste such a big well-equipped kitchen. I remembered someone else who had a knack for cooking and grimaced.

I explored the rest of the house, ending my private tour in the Master bedroom. I sat on the bed, kicking off my heels and laying back. I wanted to cry with the normalcy of it all. For god sakes, I had it all, a loving husband pining for me somewhere, the perfect house, what more could I want?

The truth. The truth was that I was an insanely not normal woman with no chance in hell of ever really ending up with anything like this, ever. I sighed and went to the closet, time for some exercise. I gotta keep sharp for the hubby now don't I?

I locked the door behind me and stuck the key in my socks. I pushed the ear buds of my new i-pod in my ears, conveniently enough; it had all my favorite songs. Making sure my now dark brown hair was tucked into a tight ponytail, I headed for the street.

As my feet settled into a comfortable pattern, I let my thoughts wander. Strangely enough I wasn't thinking about any dangerous espionage business, instead I was thinking about Luke.

I wanted him to come soon, but I knew that he would have to be in danger for that. All the same, I couldn't help wishing he were with me. He reminded me a lot of Fang, and yet he was so, different. Cammie said that it was only a matter of time before we hooked up, but I told her to shove it. I had learned not to get involved with guys, sure there have been a couple of guys over the years, but I never got emotionally attached. And as much as I was ignoring it, I had the feeling that Luke was getting attached, more importantly, I think there was something going on at my end too.

I slowed down as I neared a park and I sat on one of the benches. What if we did get involved? What then? Would we sail off into the sunset, a blaze of wings and super strength? Yeah right Max, just stick to the mission. But what is your mission? Said a nasty little voice (Not _that_ voice, that went bye bye).

"Don't get killed." I muttered to myself. I shook my head to clear it of the dangerous thoughts running through it as I started off towards my new home.

As I neared the gate, I saw that the next-door neighbors were getting home. I pulled out my ear buds and looked them over. There was a tall dark man unloading groceries with a blond woman at his side. A strawberry blond man was holding a dog and talking to the three teens that were watching the other adults work.

"Come on you guys, help us with this stuff!" The Dark haired man glared at the teens who laughed and remained where they were.

They reminded me so much of the flock that I almost called out to them, instead I hurried to the door and was about to step inside when a shout from behind me stopped me.

"Hello!" I turned to see the dark haired man and the blond woman. I smiled went to the gate. "Wow, it's so nice to get some new neighbors! My name is Laura and this is Nick."

"Hi, my name's Sarah."

I Smiled and shook Laura's hand then Nicks, as I did I met his eyes and I froze.

"It's nice to meet you all." I said forcing my voice to sound normal. It wasn't possible, it just couldn't happen. I looked around and saw the three teens and the other man. It was them; it had to be them, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and… Laura.

I looked at them, and looked at Laura. I realized she was saying something.

"So are you married?"

"Yeah, my husband Luke is away on business I don't know when exactly he's coming home but it should be soon."

"Cool," I was starting to hate that perky personality, "Well since you're the new neighbor and all, why don't you come over for a barbecue tonight." I looked at my old flock then at her.

"I don't think that's such a great idea, I have to go." I turned and ran into the house. As the door slammed, I tried to slam the door on the thoughts that were coming into my head unbidden.

Of all the places, why this one? Why the house right next to them? I don't know how long I sat there, but I was startled when I heard a car pull up outside. Opening the door, I saw Luke stepping out of a black sedan.

"Luke!' I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck. "Hey, did you bring my baby?" He smiled and pulled back his jacket to reveal two gun holsters. He pulled one out and I cradled it in my hand. I felt a rush of safety. The house had guns, but this was the first gun I ever owned, and it was special, like a blanket.

Don't laugh, it's true. I pulled Luke close to me and led him up to the house, tucking the gun in the waistband of my shorts as I did.

FLOCK'S POV

Angel frowned at Fang. He was looking out the window, a scowl on his face.

"Who does she think she is? She was so rude! And I mean, honestly, I was nice wasn't I? What's wrong with a barbecue?" Laura was looking worriedly at the silent flock.

"Angel, what are you getting from her?" Said Fang, turning away from the window. Angel's frown deepened and she looked hesitant.

"Nothing, it's like there's a wall there. I can't understand it, I know it's not natural, it's something she's controlling which is…rare. I don't understand, I mean at first I thought she was just rude, but now I'm wondering what she's hiding." Fang nodded curtly.

"There's also the fact that _Sara's _husband just gave her a nine millimeter." The flock looked up in surprise.

"What?" They crowded around the window and looked at the man that had his arm around Sarah. Sarah gestured to the house, then the window. The man glared at the flock gathered around the window.

"What is up with them?" Nudge shook her head then looked at Angel who had gone stiff beside her. "Angel?" Everyone turned to Angel who had gone white.

"It's, he… he's not thinking about that girl as Sarah, he called her…Max, in his head, ow!" Angel fell to the floor, clutching her head. After a moment, she stood up shakily. ""He, pushed me out. It's like with Sarah, or Max, or whatever her name is."

" Don't you see?" Iggy exclaimed. It's Max, Max is here."


	2. Chapter 2

(AN: Ok, thank you to all you WONDERFUL reviewers, nine on the first chappie, yay!! All I can say is, when I found my inbox full to the brim with stuff from fan fiction, I was SOOOOOO happy, so to thank you all, I am working as fast as I can to put up a new chapter! Read, review, and most importantly, ENJOY!!)

Max's POV

So here's the thing, when you wake up in the morning with an insanely cute (not to mention super strong) guy holding you in his arms, with a scarily intense look of affection on his face, what do you do? Probably not what I did.

"Well, umm, I think I'll go get dressed now, I mean, uh, yeah." Luke looked slightly bemused at my awkward attempts at a cool exit right after leaping out of his arms as though he had the plague.

My face red, I made a hasty retreat, bumping into some piece of furniture or other no less than five times.

I had fallen asleep on the couch after spilling my guts to Luke about everything and everything that had to do with the flock. He had listened, asking some questions, but for the most part, he kept quiet. As I made my way up the stairs, I wondered what exactly I had said in my sleep last night. Hopefully nothing along the lines of, "Oh Luke, you are soooo hot!" Yeah, hopefully nothing like that.

I reached the master bedroom and turned on the shower. I started shedding my clothes as I thought about everything.

I had pushed all thoughts of the flock to the back of my mind, I didn't want to think about what their presence could do to my ability to function, no Max! Do not think that way, you are going to ignore their sorry little asses and go about making them jealous with your carefully fabricated lie of a life.

Nodding in satisfaction with my thoughts, I stepped into the shower and let the water wash away my worries, did I just say that?

As I walked down the stairs, I saw that Luke hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. When he saw me, he away the phone that had been at his ear.

"Kay, I have good news and bad news. The bad news, the team has been discovered, the good news, the team is coming here, soon." I smiled, the team, together again, yay!

"So, while we wait for them, how about whipping up some of your lovely eggs benedict?"

"Still haven't learned to cook I see." He said rising from the couch.

"Actually I hired a French chef to tutor me, but I didn't want to make you feel bad." Luke rolled his eyes as he walked into the kitchen.

"So what are you going to do about the flock?" I went to the window, and frowned.

"Nothing, I am going to ignore them, though if they get in my way, there'll be hell to pay. That rhymed, didn't it?" Luke laughed and I heard the sound of pots banging. Leaning against the window, I got lost in my thoughts, almost not noticing the black car that had pulled up.

When I did, I screamed. "Hey Luke, you might want to make more food!" I ran out the front door, and collided with Cam, the girl genius.

" Cam! Sam, Cole, thank god you're here!" I looked them all over and before my shocked eyes; they lined up, all four of them, and saluted.

They had never, ever, saluted before.

"That, dear leader is in gratitude for our lives. Without your careful and painful training, we would not be here today." I looked at Cole, who looked at me, and we all burst out laughing.

"But really, I mean, all those drills and crap, they saved our lives, we wouldn't have even known those creeps were there had it not been for you." I looked at Cam with tears in my eyes.

"You guys, I'm glad you appreciate it, because as soon as you get settled, we're going for a run!" they glared at me.

"I told you guys that wouldn't get us a break." Sam glared at the Cam and Cole who shrugged.

"It was worth a try," said Cole wistfully.

"Come on, I think your guys' clothes are in the guest rooms, and I am making eggs benedict." Luke beckoned towards the house and we all trouped towards the door.

I made a mental note to have a team meeting and figure out who was trying to get at us, in the meantime…"

"Chow time!"

Laura's POV

I don't get it; I mean I just don't get it. I thought the flock was over Max, they have me now, right? What does she have that I don't? Wings don't count, nor does super speed. Besides that, we're almost exactly the same, she even has blonde hair. Sometimes I think that's the whole reason Fang loves me, at least I think he loves me.

I just can't stand it; Fang has been watching the window all day. I hate it! I want that Max and her stupid little husband gone, now that I think about it, the pair of them are kind of weird.

What kind of husband gives his wife a nine-millimeter when he comes home?

Looking over at the window, I saw that Fang still hadn't moved. I am seriously getting sick of this.

I got up with a huff (It came out poutier than I intended) and went to the back yard. I sat in the swing and waited for someone to find me, if they even remembered.

I don't know how long I had been sitting there, but it was starting to get dark. I looked up when a light went on in the house next door. A bunch of people was moving around, three of them sat down around a TV, the other two, Max and her husband I assumed went upstairs. In another second, another light went on. Through the hall window, I saw them pause in the hallway; Max went into one room, the man into the other. Now isn't that odd, Fang and I aren't even married and yet we sleep in the same bed.

Thinking this new bit of info over, I went back into the house, forgetting that I was semi-mad at the flock; they might be interested in this little tidbit of info.

Max POV

I woke up in the morning with a new and improved outlook on life. That usually meant the team had a heavy workout ahead of them. Oh well, I jumped out of bed and put on a sports bra and running shorts, time to get moving.

In case you're wondering how I keep my wings covered (don't tell me you weren't cause I know that you were, wondering I mean). I developed a membrane that can cover my skin; it's actually quite convenient.

Anyway, I snuck downstairs and into the kitchen. Now before you start wondering what in Gods name _I _am doing in a kitchen, I grabbed two pans and crept into the living room where the rest of the flock had fallen asleep watching a movie. When I was right behind them, I began smashing the pans together.

Let me tell you, scaring three genetically enhanced people into wakefulness is FUN! Sam scared herself invisible, literally, and things started flying as Cole lost control of his power. Cam of course only screamed, but that is an experience in of itself.

I stared at them with by best you're going to die face on.

"Up an at 'em guys, time for your workout, you too Cam, I have some stuff I want to talk over with you while everyone else is doing their 1,000 sit ups and pushups." I grinned evilly as looks of horror crossed the team's faces.

"Wait, you're really going to make us do all that?" Cole looked at me incredulously.

"That and more. And Luke will be getting an extra dose because he's super strong and he's still not up."

"What am I going to be getting a super dose of?"

"Workout," Luke sighed and went back upstairs, presumably to change.

"Come on guys, get changed, I'll be waiting outside."

I headed outside to stretch, as I did, my new phone rang. Joy, this could only mean that I was about to find out what exactly is going on.

"Hello?"

"Maximum?"

"That's me, who're you?"

"Agent Castello. There are some people who need to talk to you, We'll meet you in thirty minutes four miles past the park. I assume you know the spot." I didn't but I bet I could figure it out.

"Yeah. Over and out." I loved doing that, it sounded so, cool. I hung up the phone as the team stepped out of the house.

"Okay you guys, you're off the hook, I'm not going to make you guys do the whole sit up thing, we're going for a run to meet some people who are going to say words."

"Well that was specific." I knocked Sam on the head.

"Lets go, I want some answers." The team nodded, I held up my arm and pointed down the street.

"Start running sweets, we have a ways to go."

Flock's POV

Fang watched as Max took off with the group of people. Where in the world were they going?

"Fang, why don't we just follow them, in the air." Fang looked at Angel. It was surprisingly simple. Fang nodded and the rest of the flock stood up.

They filed out the back door, checking to make sure no one was watching, they all took off, except for Laura, she was wingless, and she had to go to a meeting for her job.

The flock followed the unnaturally fast runners as they went past the park and into a small grove of trees.

Max was weaving in and among them, shouting and pushing them forward.

"Come on lazy butts, you're on the run, literally, you gotta go faster, faster!" Suddenly, a realization hit Fang, her wings, where were her wings?

_Fang, she must have developed the same membrane that we did, you know, the one that covers our wings. _

Fang nodded at Angel and studied the group below them. In general the whole group looked like they were escapees from a modeling convention. The biggest one among them was the guy that Fang had seen before, supposedly Max's husband, though now Fang doubted that after Laura's little observation. Muscles rippled all over his body, and Fang wondered how much he could lift, Fang had been working out and if he challenged him and won Max might…

Right behind the guy was a slim brown haired girl, who didn't look particularly special in any way, aside from looking like a model.

Flanking the girl was a guy on one side and a girl on the other. The guy had light blonde hair and was tall, though not as muscled as the other guy. The last girl had light hair that matched the other guy, and she almost seemed to disappear in the sunlight.

Fang looked ahead to where the group was running, he noticed a small group of trees that the group was veering towards. Max held up her hand and the group slowed down, a feeling of watchfulness descending upon the group.

The flock landed in the trees without a sound as the others filed in below them, looking around, Fang spotted two people standing in the clearing. One was a dark suited man, the other, Laura?

"Hello Maximum, I have a mission for you."

Max POV

As the team and I entered the grove of trees I saw a suit and a woman, as I came closer I recognized her. Laura, that She obviously worked for the government. And I thought I was with the good guys. Crossing my arms I waited for her to speak.

"Hello Maximum, I have a mission for you."


	3. Chapter 3

Max POV

Max POV

"Well that's nice, but last time I checked, the whole bit about our secret identities being compromised was kind of in the way of us going on missions." I looked at Laura who was standing with her arms crossed.

"Yes well, this is a mission to destroy those who have discovered your true identity. At first we weren't sure who exactly we were dealing with, but now we know, and it isn't pretty."

"Well tell us who it is already!" I shot a reproving look at Cam who was frowning at Laura.

"A private entity, a Mr. Carlisle Rockway. We are setting you up to infiltrate his compound and destroy it. A fake kidnapping, we don't know exactly when this will happen, but it should be soon. One other thing, you will be accompanied by another team with abilities that are… similar, to yours." I looked at Laura in shock; this lady so did not know what our team was about. I think I need to explain some things to her.

"Ok, Laura, I think the higher ups forgot to tell you something, we work alone, as in no other teams, no way no how." I crossed my arms and watched as her face slowly flushed.

"Your mission, perhaps even your survival is dependent upon your cooperation, I'll call the team now, and they can be here shortly. Look Maximum, this other team depends upon you for survival, their identities have also been discovered, but they don't have the skill to do the mission alone, just talk to them." Laura's tone was almost pleading as she took out her cell phone.

"Fine, call the others." I waited as she punched in several numbers. I frowned as a soft ringing filled the clearing.  
" Ok, using my super genius skills, I'd say that the other team is here already, just a guess." I rolled my eyes at Cam.

Laura was scowling at the now rustling trees as five figures dropped to the ground. Oh shit, no way, no friggin way. This day is like the worst day of my life, well not really, but its pretty high up there.

"Why didn't you tell us who you were meeting Laura?" said Fang as he walked towards Laura.

"Because I didn't know until just a bit ago, its not my fault!" Laura's voice was pouty and she looked like a little kid, geez I totally see why Fang is with her. Not.

I looked at the team, they nodded at me, time to break up this lovely little get together.

"Okay, it was nice talking to you Laura, actually not really, but I can tell this isn't going to work out so we'll be going now." I turned and started to storm out of the clearing.

"Wait! You don't understand, all of you could die! Especially the flock!"

"Wow, that is so totally my problem, and you know what, I care so much about the flock, I mean really, I care so much, that I could just get a missile and shoot their bird brain heads off right now!" I scowled at Laura who scowled right back, oh bring it baby.

"You have a duty to the flock to-"

"Whoa, team, tell me, did I just hear her say that I have a duty to the flock?" the team looked at me with wide eyes.

"You know Max, I think she did say that." Cole grinned as I turned back to Laura.

"Laura, let me tell you something, I don't owe a damn thing to the flock, other than a really big butt kicking. Quite frankly, I think it might be kinda hard for me to stop laughing if something happened to the traitors, oh, one more thing, just a word of advice Laura, watch your back, you never know when these things will turn on you, you might want to get out while you can, before they turn you over to a bunch of stark raving mad scientists with scalpels and a weird curiosity as to what the pain endurance of someone like me is."

Again, I turned to storm out of the clearing.

"Max, whether you like it or not, you're going on this mission, with the flock, and I'd say soon." I didn't look back as I flipped the bird to everyone behind me.

I took off running, ignoring the flock and pushing back anger, I love my life.


	4. Chapter 4

Max POV

Max POV

I absently stirred my hot cocoa as I thought about my wonderful life. I mean really, now I had the threat of a mission that I so totally do not want to do, and I had to think about how to keep myself from killing the flock at the same time. Joy. I swear, the world is out to get me, or at least ultra powerful goons are, either way someone is out to get me.

"Yo, oh great and powerful leader, you there?" I looked up and saw the team staring at me.

"Of course I'm here, where else would I be." Cam rolled her eyes.

"Well, you could be in la la land, completely spacing out as we discuss the fact that we need to set up watches so that our employers can't get this whole unwanted mission thing off the ground."

"Oh, I'll take first watch. You all go to sleep, and no TV," I looked firmly at my team, they only chuckled at me.

"Yes mother," Luke said. I stood and went outside to the side of the house where a trellis was placed for easy access to the roof, I of course have wings. I fluttered up and perched myself in the shadow of the tallest peak.

It was probably going to be a quiet night, I mean come on, the government wouldn't really lead the people who possibly want to hurt us here, would they?

I scowled at the perfect green lawn below me. Go ahead Mr. Rockway, I just dare you to come and get us, you don't know who you're dealing with here.

I smiled in satisfaction that is until a big truck pulled up between the flock's house and ours. That is most definitely not good I flew down to the ground and kicked open the door, whistling shrilly as I did.

The glow of the TV suddenly switched off as a fully dressed, nowhere near ready for bed team filed into the hall. So much for beauty sleep, oh well.

"Apparently they want us on that mission, now. Lets get out of here." I grabbed my gun from the waistband of my jeans and motioned with it towards the door. We all ran out in time to see a squad of black figures bursting through the gate.

"To the back, run robin, follow me." The team followed me, understanding our little emergency lingo.

We made it to the back fence where I gave Cam a boost over the fence, giving Sam one as well, as Luke and Cole vaulted over on their own. I gave myself a boost with my wings and we all took off running in the alley that ran behind the houses.

I could hear the thud of our pursuers getting dangerously close.

"Guys, we won't make it, split for the Renton Forest," I yelled, naming a nearby forest.

"Max, we can't, they have stunners!" I looked back, and sure enough Cam was right (as usual).

"We'll have to fight then, Sam, phase out," Sam shimmered into invisibility and I felt her slip past me to circle around our pursuers who were now drawing even closer. "Luke, you get the stunners, Cole, you know what to do, same with you Cam." (In case you're wondering; Cam is still stronger than most humans and crap so she's fine in a fight.

Sam snuck up behind the two thugs in the back of the group, dispatching them quickly. The stun-guns started twisting and contorting as Luke used his little telekinesis loveliness. Two other guys were being thrown to outer space, kina sorta not literally by Cole. Meanwhile, three guys were zeroing in on me.

"Okay, back off now, before I hurt you."

"Come now little birdie, we don't want to hurt you, just come with us, real nicely now."

"Ok, take me to your leader then, not!" my left leg shot out, hitting one dude in the kneecaps, easy peasy. The next guy went down with a side kick to the head, that last guy was circling, with a confident look in his eyes.

That probably meant he had a knife, ha ha.

"Okay buddy, you and me now, the rest of your pathetic cronies are out, and I'm guessing you have a knife."

"Yes I do, so give up now."

"Fat freaking chance, dude you have totally not done your research, I'm impervious to injury." Soft chuckles rose from the team as my fist shot out, breaking his nose, then I slapped my cupped hands over his ears, bye bye eardrums.

I smiled in satisfaction turning to face the team. Four consecutive thuds sounded as the team fell, darts sticking out of their necks. I whirled around, as two men in suits and one guy holding a gun faced me.

"Well Maximum, you have put up an excellent fight, however, it's probably best for you to give up now." I looked at the man who was smiling smugly.

"Dude, no." He frowned and nodded to the guy with the gun, he shot a dart straight at my neck. It hit me and bounced off of my skin.

"Ow. That so totally hurt, I'm dying. Ow. Ow." I raised my eyebrows at the shocked expressions on the dude's faces, the one who was about my age frowned at the guy with the gun.

"I thought you said you knew all her powers."

"I missed one, we'll just have to take her by force." I scowled at the group; this had gone on long enough launching my self at the dude with the gun, I ripped it out of his hands whacking him on the head with it.

I turned to the young dude who was frowning at me.

"Come on, don't do this, we'll take good care of you, you'll have everything you could want, we just need you for a year or so."

I smiled at him. "Dream on." Then something hit me really hard on my head.

Apparently I can be knocked out, dang.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up with a throbbing pain in the back of my head. Looking around, I saw I was in a small room, lying on a small cot, obviously alone. Groaning, I sat up and rubbed my head.

Why do these things always happen to me? I stood up and went over to the metal door on the other side of my cell. I turned the knob and surprise surprise, it's locked. Biting back a scream of frustration, I slammed my fist into the door.

To my surprise it slowly swung open towards me.

"Good afternoon Maximum." I stared at the unsmiling face of Mr. Rockway.

"Good afternoon, you mind telling me why the hell I'm locked up in a cell with no idea where the rest of my team is?" I crossed my arms and waited, my face expressionless.

"Certainly, you can even see them if you'd like."

"Please" I spat.

Mr. Rockway turned and strode off down a surprisingly warm hall. The walls were soft beige with oriental carpets beneath my feet. I reached for my gun, but was not surprised to find it gone.

I'd just have to follow the Rockway dude. He led me down the hallway past stainless steel doors that clashed horribly with the rest of the décor, come on dude. You could have at least made your dungeons match the rest of the house, some people have no taste.

Rockway led me up some steep stairs and into what I assumed was the main part of the house. We went through various rooms all empty, until we reached a room that held two people.

One was the man who had been with Rockway before. He looked at me with hope, I don't know what he's hoping for but he's not going to get it.

The room's occupant was an obviously pregnant woman. She sat next to the man, holding his hand tightly.

"Maximum, I'd like you to meet my son, Charles Rockway and his wife, Sarah."

"Nice to meet you. Now where the hell is my team." I crossed my arms and glared at the two Rockway men.

"You'll see in a bit, we have to talk to you first." Rockway sat in an armchair cool as pudding. Who the hell does he think he is?

Apparently they forgot that I'm not really all that stable upstairs if you know what I mean. I bared my teeth and leapt forward, wrapping my hands around Rockway seniors throat. His eyes widened and he tried to grasp at my fingers.

"You'll let me see them if you know what's good for you." He tried to nod and I let him go. I stepped back and re-crossed my arms. Charles Rockway and his wife were wide eyed. As Rockway senior regained his composure he rang a small bell sitting on a table beside him.

A man in a muscle shirt and jeans appeared in the doorway.

"Get group one, fast." The man nodded and disappeared.

We stayed silent for a while, the Sarah woman was looking increasingly nervous.

"Charles, Father, I can't stand it, this won't work, I knew it wouldn't'! I've told you about her, she's the best there is but she's dangerous!" I looked at Sarah, surprised.

"Are you talking about me? Cause if you are, I'm right here."

"Yes, look here's the story," She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm an experiment too. I have wings, I married Charles and now we're having a baby. Father wanted this baby to be safe so he decided to capture some experiments to ask them how they grew up and to protect my baby. I knew it wasn't a good idea, but, I'm so scared and we didn't know how this would go or what would happen!" I looked at the girl shocked.

At that minute four very irate people burst into the room. Cam flew to me and hugged me tight, Sam right behind her. I smiled at them but waved them off.

I turned back to Sarah, sympathy finding its way into my words against my will.

"Look, Sarah, I don't know why you thought we could help but we can't so you can let us go now." Sarah looked at her husband who shrugged.

"It's up to you." Charles said. Sarah took another deep breath.

"Well, there's something else." I looked at the team with raised eyebrows. This was going to be good. "I'm your sister." I looked at Sarah, apparently she thought she was serious.

I glanced at Cam, she was hiding a smile behind her Cam. Sam wasn't even bothering not to snicker. The boys were slowly starting to laugh behind her.

Sarah was looking confused. That was it, I lost it.

"You…you…think…you're my …sister!" I said between gasps of laughter. "That has got to be the funniest thing in the world." I wiped tears from my eyes and tried to calm down.

Charles was looking rather upset and Sarah was still confused.

"Look, Sarah, my biological father is Jeb Batchelder and Dr. Martinez, at no time have either of them mentioned another brother and or sister I might have had other than Ari. Look, the school might have told you that you're my "sister" but I assure you, you are not my sister, for one you're too old."

"That's the thing Max, I am your sister. I am Jeb and Valencia Martinez's daughter; it's just that they didn't know. The school did it without them knowing. At first they thought I wasn't successful as an experiment so they dropped me off at an orphanage, but when I was fifteen I grew wings. I'm only three years older than you Max. You have to believe me."

I looked at Sarah. Could it be possible? I mean, really, in a way she kinda looked like me, and she did need my help, then again I've never been volunteer of the year.

"One question, why did you need the team and the flock?"

"Well, I've been keeping track of your activities, and I thought that while you were here you could make up with the flock."

"Fat freaking chance, the only way we'll be making up is, well, umm, oh I forgot, there is no way! Look, I guess we'll help you till the baby's born," I looked at the team who shrugged in agreement." "But on one condition, I refuse to be civil to the flock, oh and one more thing, we are not test subjects. No needles, no tests, we run the show, got it?"

Rockway senior nodded. Sarah brightened and heaved herself to her feet.

"Fabulous, let me show you to your rooms."


	6. Super sad

Okay peeps, here's the deal, I basically wiped my home computer's hard drive, so I've been working on the school computer

Okay peeps, here's the deal, I basically wiped my home computer's hard drive, so I've been working on the school computer. Since it's summer, I won't be able to do that anymore. SO, I have printed out my story, I'll write the rest of it over the summer, and post it in the first week of school. I AM NOT ABANDONING, I really hate having to do this, but I have to. So yeah. If you put me on your story alert list you'll be the first to know I'm back.

I'm super sorry!

Fightingrose


	7. Chapter 7

Hey all, I'm back! I hope I didn't lose everybody! Without further ado, the continuation of the Agent Max story.

Sarah, it turned out, had a rather familiar fondness for talking the ears off of a body.

She took us to some cushy rooms on the fifth floor (5 floors, crazy I know). It took us ages to get rid of her so we could have some team time. When we finally got her to go away we gathered in my room.

"You do realize this whole situation is undoubtedly weird," said Cam plopping herself on a brocade couch that probably cost more than she did.

"Yeah, I know. I think I'm still in shock." Cole muttered as he eyed the bulletproof balcony windows.

"This seems like a situation straight out of a soap opera." Sam said, looking at the team thoughtfully. "Secret agent is captured in a desperate fight for her freedom, then she is brought to a freaky nice mansion where she meets her long lost sister. We should really pay you for the entertainment value Max." Sam ducked as I threw a pillow at her.

"Glad to see someone is getting her kicks out of this. But really guys, we have some stuff to talk about. First off, our course of action. Right now, I say we stay at the Rockway mansion and scope out the scene. Sam, Luke, I want you guys on outside security. We need to make sure our friends in the government won't come barging in." Sam and Luke nodded.

"Cole, I want you to work on getting into contact with someone like Laura, tell them we're all right and working. Feel free to let them know that we're expecting a raise for this job."

"Cam, I want you to work with grandpa Rockway and Sarah, give them info about growing up in a freak show." I smiled wryly and the team smiled. "But nothing too personal. Okay, are we clear?" Everyone nodded.

"Max?" Cole frowned at me. "What are you going to be doing?"

"I, dear soldier will be finding out as much as I can about Sarah.


	8. Chapter 8

After watching us down the trays of burgers, Sarah leaned towards me over her belly. The team watched with interest as she took my hand and smiled (never a good sign, smiling is bad).

"Max, it's so good to have you" Sarah paused looking at the team, "all of you, here. I've been wanting to talk to you especially Max. You see it's about the flock-" oh no not going there. I yanked my hand out of Sarah's and stood.

"Okay then, I don't think we really need to have this conversation, ever. Sarah, I think you'll find Cam to be most helpful in terms of the development of the average mutant, and the rest of the team has work to do, so get going!" The team stared at me for a moment until Sarah opened her mouth to say something.

Cam looked from my clenched fists to Sarah and hastily grabbed Sarah's arm.

"Well Sarah, lets go find your husband shall we?" Sarah frowned as Cam hauled her to her feet and out the door. I could hear Cam's voice talking enthusiastically down the hall, drowning out Sarah's questions.

I looked at the rest of my motionless team and pointed at the door. "3,2-" before I could finish, the team was out the door. Ah the perks of being all powerful.

I looked over at the balcony realizing that I hadn't been outside for a while and with everything that had gone down recently, I needed some sky high thinking time. Pulling open the doors, I let the membrane covering my wings slide back. My wings slipped through the specially designed slits in my t-shirt.

I leaped into the air and quickly gained altitude as I surveyed the Rockway mansion.

The mansion itself was huge. The front of it faced over a huge lawn spotted with enormous tress. The driveway had to be a mile long at least, stretching down to a gate and a guardhouse.

A wall ran around the property, it looked pretty but somehow I don't see a 10 foot wall rimmed with spikes being purely for decoration.

The back of the house had more windows than I could count, all looking over a multi level deck and a pool. Beyond the pool was what looked like a maze surrounded by gardens. If Sarah really is my sister and she's not a creeper, I would not mind living here, although the tough looking guards stationed in the house might be kind of disturbing. Imagine the poor guys running into me in the middle of the night. They wouldn't stand a chance.

Perching in a vast willow tree, I spread my wings for balance. I needed to think. This whole situation was bordering on insane, even from my lovely avian American mutant freak perspective.

The question is, do I want to help or hurt the people who kidnapped me.

"Hey you, you might want to get out of that tree, and fast." What the…

I looked down to see one of the guardish looking guys standing at the foot of my tree.

"What are you talking about" The guy rolled his eyes, It was then that I noticed that what I had taken to be shorts were in fact swim trunks.

"It's just that the sprinklers are about to come on"

"Why…" That was when the sprinklers drenched me and my wings right down to their feathery cores, in an ice cold wave. Unfortunately, I can't fly with wet wings.

Sighing I pushed my wet hair out of my wet face and started climbing down the wet tree (can you tell I was feeling the wet?)

The guy waiting for me at the bottom was smirking.

"If you had listened to me, you wouldn't be getting we right now." I raised my eyebrows at him. Cheeky little man, that tongue of his could get itself ripped out,

"Okay buddy, for your info, I don't exactly jump to when a guy who shows no shock whatsoever at my having wings, tells me to get out of a tree and give up my advantage over him." I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue at the guy as I stalked away. Unfortunately he doesn't seem able to take a hint.

He ran to catch up with me through the sprinklers, his blonde hair was plastered to his head but he didn't seem bothered in the least (I was).

"Why would my lack of shock at your extra appendages be unsettling?" I shot the guy a look, he just smiled.

"Well Mr. Nosey f ace, my first thought of someone who shows no shock at my wings is that they are from the school and I don't like the school."

"How do you know I know what the school is?" God this guy was annoying.

"Well let's see." I stopped an put on my best thinking face. "You obviously work for the Rockways as a guard and I think they'd tell you who you're supposed to be shooting at." Duh.

"Ha!" Damn. "I'm not carrying a gun, how do you know I'm not a pool boy?" Time to get rid of this fool.

"Buddy, I think Sarah's rich enough to hire a better looking pool boy." Yeah cause this dude is so totally not good looking, kind of… oh what am I saying he's hot! No Max, just walk away and try to look as though you know the way to your room.

"Hey" now what does he want? "Nice bra." I looked down to see that the sprinklers had soaked through my white t-shirt to my one and only black lace bra.

I hate my life.


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N: quick note, I'm changing Max's age to 19, everybody else's too, just a heads up. Enjoy!)

After miraculously finding my way to my room, I dried off and changed into another shirt, black this time.

In a somewhat less pleasant mood, I set out to snoop around the house. Due to the mercifully mutant friendly environment, I could leave my wings open to dry.

I wandered around for a while, trying not to stare at the general wealth that surrounded me. After a while I heard the sound of Cam's voice drifting through an open doorway.

I poked my head in to see Sarah and her husband, Charles, listening to Cam talk.

"Really, once you get your powers under control it's kind of cool." Cam paused and looked up at me. "Hey Max." Sarah turned and grinned.

"Max! Oh I'm glad you're here, we were just about to break for dinner."

"Cool, so should I go get the rest of the team?"

"No need, my handy dandy intercom is right here." Sarah smiled perkily as she pressed a button on the table beside her. The next second an automated voice rang throughout the house. "Dinner is served so hurry scurry!" Hurry scurry?

Cam shot me a look behind Sarah's back and we both sniggered.

"Well then, lets head down to the kitchen, everyone should be there soon."

Cam and I followed Sarah and the silent Charles through the house till we reached an immense kitchen.

What looked like every guard in the house was seated around a huge table in the center of the room. I spotted Sam talking to a cute guy next to Luke. Luke spotted us and motioned us over.

"Hey Max," said Cam as we made our way around the table.

"Yeah?"

"Is it just me, or are all the people here really good looking?" I glanced around the room and noticed that Cam was right, which probably meant that everyone here was a mutant, lovely. Cam and I sat down as Cole skidded into the room with his usual grace. He spotted me and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up,

"All communications are a go."

"Nice work soldier." Cole smiled again and took a seat.

"Hey Max guess what we found-"

"Shh, not here, I said cutting Luke off.

"Oh right."

"Alright everyone, chow time." I looked up to see Sarah and some other mutants setting down plates and some more gin0ormously huge platters of food. The plates and food were passed down the table as talk broke out. I looked over as someone slid into the empty seat next to me.

"Hey, nice t-shirt. Though I must say I liked the white one better." Just my luck, the one guy I would avoid sitting next to at all costs is sitting next to me, yay.

"I hope you got a good look because if you ever see that sight again, it will be the last thing you ever see," I hissed. The idiot chuckled and took a disgustingly huge bite of food. "Hello, take smaller bites and use a napkin."

"hey guys, check it out, Max has found someone new to boss." I glared at Cam.

"I am not bossing, I am chastising, pass the pasta." Someone on the other side of the table set the bowl of pasta in front of me.

"Gee Max, no please?" That voice. That rare (at least it used to be rare), quiet, and now quite deep voice. The one I hated with a passion.

I slowly stood as silence fell over the table. I could feel the team tensing as Sarah sighed.

"I wish I could have introduced everyone else before you saw each other, oh I must have forgotten to tell you that the flock is here as well Max."

"Thanks for the heads up Sarah." I didn't look away from Fang as I smiled sweetly.

"Your right Fang, my manners are quite lacking, let me fix that. Please go jump in a lake. Thank you for your cooperation." Fang smiled,

"That's our Max, sweet and stubborn as ever." A surge of anger pushed up my throat. Before I could say that I was most definitely not the flock's anything Sam stood.

"Excuse me Mr. Manners but Max is in no way shape or form your anything. She's no one's anything, but if she were, she 'd be the team'. We are, after all the ones who pulled out the knife you stuck in her back. Oh, and Angel, stop trying to get into my head." Sam sat down as the flock gathered more tightly around Fang.

"Really you guys can't you just make up?" Sarah smiled anxiously at me.  
"Look Sarah, let me make something clear. The Team and I are still deciding whether or not we want to hurt you or help you and shoving me and the people I would like to murder very much, under one roof is not helping your cause."

"Now wait just a minute girly." I looked over as the mutant on Sarah's right stood up. "None of us would ever let you get close to hurting Sarah, Charles, or Mr. Rockway, and quite frankly you have no idea what you'd be dealing with if you ever tried to hurt anyone here. "

"Flash, sit down please," Sarah looked tense now as she pulled the man back into his seat."

"No Sarah, its alright." I smiled at her. " I think your bodyguard and I need to talk, the traitors might want to hear this too, so sit." After looking at Fang who nodded, the flock sat.

"If Cam's not mistaken, everyone in this room, except Charles, is a mutant. So we're all pretty used to hardship. We've all known pain and we've all known fear, but I've gone further than any of you through hell." I looked around the room at the doubtful looks on the unfamiliar mutants faces. The team was looking nervously at me.

"Yes I'm sure you find that hard tot believe now, but its true, and really everything I've been through is all thanks to the flock here. Every gallon of chemicals and steel, and god knows what else that was put in my veins is thanks to the,. Oh and don't let me forget the 20 odd pain endurance tests, I should thank them for those as well. But all those test and chemicals did something, they made me very hard to kill. I know because the school tried to have me torn apart several times, sometimes they got little pieces of me, but I survived. " I paused and took a deep breath. "I'm telling you all this because you need to know what exactly you're dealing with. A girl who has lost everything but her life, and she will go to lengths you can't imagine to keep that."

"You might not understand now, but if you ever have the misfortune to fight me, you will find that I am not afraid of pain, but you should be, because I can cause more pain than the school ever could. Now I and my team are going outside so I can hit some things, if anyone gets in my way, know that you've been warned."

I shoved my chair from the table and yanked the kitchen door open with a bang. The team followed me quietly, for once.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hey guys, just a few things, I've reached the end of what I wrote for the summer so it could take me a bit longer to update now. I also wanted to let you know about a new story. It'll be a Twilight Fanfic called Somewhere In Between. So be on the look out for that. Enjoy!

"Max what was that for? I mean what you said, was that supposed to do something?" Cole's worried expression matched that of the rest of the team's."

"Look you guys, I can't explain what exactly that speech back there was for, but you guys have to know that I am a different person from the one the flock knew. Now they know that I've changed and that I won't be playing nice."

"Right now, as much as I hate to admit it, I am confused. And if I'm confused, I want everybody sitting in that room back there to be just as confused as I am, hopefully that speech will do that."

The team was silent for a moment. I kicked the trunk of the tree I had landed in earlier.

"Well, " said Cole, "if the flock and Sarah and her little group are as confused as I am, then your speech did its job."

"No kidding," muttered Sam.

"Come on you guys, lets get to bed. Tomorrows a work out day. I'm sure a place like this has a superb gym. " The team groaned.

"We're in the middle of a major drama and all she can think about is conditioning." Luke shook his head in disbelief. As I watched him go with the rest of the team, I realized that I wasn't only thinking about working out, but Luke didn't need to know that.

I woke up at 4:45 the next morning. I put on some sweats that were conveniently placed in the closet. I waited for the alarms I had set in everyone's rooms to go off. 5:00 am. And…

"Max! I hate you!" Yelled Sam from the room next to mine. One by one, the team stumbled out of their rooms dressed in sweats.

"Alright come on. Lets go find the gym." The team and I made our way down to the basement where we found a ginormous gym.

A huge wrestling mat dominated one corner. The rest of the gym was taken up by equipment, very good equipment at that.

"Okay guys, get in a circle. Luke, grab the 15 lb. ball." The team tossed the medicine ball back and forth for 10 min. moving up to a 20 pounder for another ten.

"Grab some water, then I want 25 toss squats, 80 near medicine ball sit ups, and 80 far. Afterwards we can start fighting practice. IF you keep rolling your eyes, you can add 50 pushups."

The team gave me varied looks of intense dislike as they started on their work out.

I began on my work out starting with pushups. When the team had first formed, I'd begun the workouts to help get everyone who'd been locked up back into shape. After that I realized we could kick way more butt if we tried to push past our natural genetically enhanced abilities. Thus the killer workouts began.

About an hour later everyone was done with their warm ups.

"Alright, bring it in." I motioned them towards the center of the mat. "It's time for sparring practice, we'll start with one on one, Luke you and Sam up first. Full speed, full strength, and guys, try not to break anything, okay?"

Luke and Sam nodded as the rest of the team cleared the mat.

"Okay, first one to a death grip wins, go!" I ran to the edge of the mat and turned just in time to see, or not see, an invisible Sam tackle Luke. She almost had him in a hold when he apparently got a hold of some part of her. He lifted her up and tossed her in the air. Sam shrieked and became visible again as she rolled into a fall, Luke grabbed her neck and grinned.

"I win, you lose, now you smell my stinky shoes. " The team groaned

"Luke, aren't you a bit old for that kind of thing?" said Cam.

Luke paused, as he dropped Sam. "No." I rolled my eyes and looked at Sam.

"Sam, remember you never let Luke get a hold of you, you'll lose every time. Now then, who's next?"

"You and me." I turned at the sound of the new voice to see the dozen or so guards filing into the room.

I tensed as one of the guys in the group stepped forward. I recognized him as the guy who'd been sitting next to Sarah. I saw the perv chuckling behind him.

"You heard me, you and me. I want to see what the famous Max can do. My name is Flash by the way."

"Hey Flash, I'm impressed, getting up at 6 am. to fight me. Most people save their near death experiences for later in the day."

"Ha ha, stop stalling, lets get this started. Flash and I walked to the center of the mat.

"First to a takedown?" Flash nodded.

"Okay go!" I leaped into the air hovering a good five feet above him."

"Hey, no fair you have wings."

"I have wings." I repeated mockingly. "Nice to see you've noticed. You also might have noticed that I'm not an idiot so I'm not going to stay on the ground and wait for you to blast me with some unknown power."

"Smart bird, unfortunately for you, I also have wings." Flash grinned and opened a pair of golden brown wings. He leaped into the air and tried to kick me. I say tried because I was already behind him with his arm in a lock.

"Before you fight me in the air, you might want to practice your skills first. If you even have skills." Flash growled as I hit him between the wings and he dropped to the ground.

"Yahoo Max wins!" Cole thrust his fist in the air. "Take that suckers!" Flash's group was looking mutinous. I landed and pulled Flash to his feet.

"Why don't we all introduce ourselves." I caught the death glares Luke was sending and smiled. "Civilly please."

"I'll start, I'm Maximum Ride, most people call me Max, I obviously have wings, I'm impervious to most injuries, and I can fly at super sonic speeds. Luke, you next." The team introduced themselves there was a pause until a brunette guard stepped forward.

"Hi I'm Sonar, I can turn into a bat."

"I'm craze I can change my appearance at will," I recognized Craze as the perv from before. As they introduced themselves, I was shocked at their diversity. Who knew mad scientists could get so creative?

After Sonar and Craze, there was Sting, he could sprout spikes, Aqua, she could swim really fast and breathe underwater, Emmy, she could turn into a snake, Moaki, could turn into a cat, Cody could climb anything and stick to vertical surfaces, and then there was Rag and his identical triplet sisters. All four had wings, but Ram, Bam, and Slam couldn't talk. Everyone in the guards was 18 except for the triplets who were 16.

After the introductions there was an awkward moment of silence.

"Well it's time for our run," My voice sounded really loud.

"Aren't you going to have breakfast?" Said Sonar.

"We don't eat till we've finished working out." Said Cam sadly. "And we still have lots to do."

"You've already been in here for about two hours, what else can you do?" Said Sting.

"We can do a lot more, trust me, with Max, there's always more," Said Cole tiredly (the lazy butt).

"Speaking of more, we should do more running, less talking, now move. You have ten minutes to get outside."

"But you can't get outside in 10 seconds, it's…" Before Aqua could say, "Impossible" the team was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey guys, I just wanted to give you a little update. I'm really into my new story In Between Lives (The Twilight story I mentioned, I changed the name). I'm going to be slow on updates for a while but I hope I don't lose my reviewers! Because I'm being such a bad updater I'm going to give you a little sneak peek at the next chapter. Peace out!

I heard the door click shut behind me. "Cam, I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to you about some plans." I turned to face what I thought was Cam, but it was him. I could feel my body stiffening as anger surged inside me.

"What do you want?" His face was impassive.

"We need to talk Max." He studied me his face changing in the afternoon light. "We all have regrets Max but-"

"Excuse, me, the only regret I have is that I didn't leave you guys earlier."

"Max, we need to forget the past, it's bringing us down. We have a purpose here and we need to focus."

"WE don't need to focus on anything! The team and I are separate from you, there is no we! And I refuse to forget the past!" I could feel my voice rising as hot tears burned their way down my cheeks. "You say I should forget, but I can't! I can't forget." My voice broke and I went into full out sob mode. I was ashamed that Fang was seeing me like this.

I felt his arms slip around me and I wanted to hit him. Hit him hard.

"Well isn't this a nice little reunion. Cam was looking for you Max, I'll just tell her that you're busy." I looked up to see Luke glaring at me from the doorway.

"Luke wait!" I tried to brush away tears as I rushed to the door but he was gone. I turned to Fang, the last traces of tears disappearing from my eyes.

"Get out."


	12. Chapter 12

We finished our run sans Flash and co. They got tired after our fifth race around the compound. Afterwards we all headed inside to clean up and eat. We were all ravenous and Sarah watched us eat in shock, I think she still may be checking the fridge to see if we really ate as much as she thinks. Hey, what can I say; Luke likes food more than I do.

I was in my room researching the Rockways when I heard the door click shut behind me. "Cam, I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to you about some plans." I turned to face what I thought was Cam, but it was him. I could feel my body stiffening as anger surged inside me.

"What do you want?" His face was impassive.

"We need to talk Max." He studied me his face changing in the afternoon light. "We all have regrets Max but-"

"Excuse, me, the only regret I have is that I didn't leave you guys earlier."

"Max, we need to forget the past, it's bringing us down. We have a purpose here and we need to focus."

"WE don't need to focus on anything! The team and I are separate from you, there is no we! And I refuse to forget the past!" I could feel my voice rising as hot tears burned their way down my cheeks. "You say I should forget, but I can't! I can't forget." My voice broke and I went into full out sob mode. I was ashamed that Fang was seeing me like this.

I felt his arms slip around me and I wanted to hit him. Hit him hard.

"Well isn't this a nice little reunion. Cam was looking for you Max, I'll just tell her that you're busy." I looked up to see Luke glaring at me from the doorway.

"Luke wait!" I tried to brush away tears as I rushed to the door but he was gone. I turned to Fang, the last traces of tears disappearing from my eyes.

"Get out."

Fang looked at me and he planted his feet more firmly. "No, we still have things to talk about." I stared at him in disbelief. No? He wants to get smart with me?

"One more chance Fang, then I am no longer responsible for my actions." He remained silent.

I felt a numbing rage settling over me. I slammed the door and locked it. I saw a flicker of confusion in his eyes then it was gone. Before he could react I was across the room, I punched him hard in the stomach and his breath left him in a rush. I grabbed his arm and twisted it; he ducked out of the hold and tried to kick me. I grabbed his leg and flipped him over. He landed on his back and I put a foot to his neck, I stared in his eyes, I wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt me.

"MAX! OPEN THE DOOR NOW!" Cam's voice was loud outside the door.

"Forget it Cam, she's probably busy with bird boy." Luke's voice was bitter. I felt Fang move under my foot and looked down, but it was too late. He leapt up and tackled me. He tried to hold me down but I got out from under him and leaped back up. He scrambled to his feet and lunged for me again. I heard the door click open right as I threw Fang through the open Balcony doors.

I turned to see the team standing in the door. Cam's voice was cautions. "Max? Where's Fang?" I smiled evilly.

"Outside."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: OH MY GOD!! I HAVE OFFICIALY PASSED THE ONE-HUNDRED AND TEN REVIEWS MARK!! YAY. You all are guilty of turning me into a review junkie, but I still love all of my brilliant reviewers!! You have no Idea how much these reviews mean to me, seriously, I'd like to thank the reviewers of fanfiction for your praise and adoration, I know I'm worth it (Just kidding!) Anyway, I'm done celebrating now. A few quick notes, check out my two current stories, In Between Lives (Twilight), and The Silth (Tamora Pierce).

This isn't going to be a long chapter because I'm writing this at eight something PM and I'm leaving town tomorrow at nine AM, so this is like a mini-chap, anyway, enjoy!

Cam looked at me cautiously. "What do you mean "Outside" Max?"

"I mean that he's outside." Cam and Cole exchanged a look with Cole.

"What's he doing outside Max?" I gave her my best innocent look and shrugged.

"I realy don't understand why-Wait, oh no. You don't think I might have done something to him? Cam, how could you!" I shot a mock hurt/horrified face at the team.

"Oh no," Sam got a worried look on her face.

"Max!" Fang's voice came through the balcony doors and I looked at the ceiling. The team gave me the look that I gave them when they were lying to me about having done all their pushups. I sidled over to the doors and slammed them. "I wonder what that was, hmm, I guess we'll never know. Who wants to get a snack?" Cam rolled her eyes and pushed past me and yanked open the doors. She peered over the balcony and cringed.

"Max, you didn't!" I never noticed how interesting ceilings could be. Cam and Cole rushed over to the balcony and burst out laughing, while Cam looked exasperated.

Luke sidled up to me, he still looked doubtful. "So, umm, about before." I looked up at him.

"You left just in time to miss me whup his butt." Luke looked immensely relieved and a tad bit crestfallen.

"Oh. Do I want to know more." I smiled sweetly.

"Not really,"

"Hey what's going on?" Luke and I looked over to see Sarah standing in the doorway. I looked at Luke guiltily.

"Nothing."

"Hey Max, I think we're going to need some painkillers!" Cam's voice drifted up from below the balcony and I groaned, she just had to go help him.

"Max?" Sarah looked suspicious.

"Yes?"

"Who did you hurt?"

"No one."

"Max, I think Fang's going to be needing an x-ray to make sure nothing's broken." I shot a glare at the empty balcony and turned back to Sarah.

"Max! How could yo-" Suddenly Sarah clutched her stomach and groaned. My eyes widened in alarm. I stepped forward but Sarah held up a hand and straightened.

"I'm fine." She took a deep breath and resumed her scowl. "Max, you need to get rid of these prejudices that you have they are only going-" She cut herself off again and we all looked down. A wet stain was spreading across Sarah's maternity pants. "The baby's coming now." Sarah's voice was tight and laced with fear.

"But I thought you were only at eight months!" I looked at Luke in alarm.

"I know!" Sarah clutched her stomach and I leaped forward as she groaned. I eased her onto my bed.

Cam's voice was urgent as it came through the door."Max! We really need those painkillers!" Sarah uttered a loud moan and I cringed.

"Yeah I think you're right Cam, painkillers and lots of them."


	14. Chapter 14

I stared at Sarah as she tried not to scream. I went into leader mode as she clutched her belly. "Luke, carry her to her own room, I'll get help." Luke nodded and scooped Sarah up, careful not to jostle her badly. He was off and down the hall.

"Max! Where's the aspirin?" Cam was looking at me accusingly as she and Cole climbed onto the balcony; I could see Fang floating behind them, held in the air by Cole's power (controlling things with his mind). "I think Fang hit his head when you threw him out the window, he couldn't get his wings out in time."

"Who cares about Fang? Sarah's in labor!" Cole, Cam, and Sam looked at me incredulously.

"What?" Sam looked worried.

"I don't have time to explain, I'll see you later." I ran out of the room and skidded down the hall. I hurried to where I thought the library was. There! I crashed through the door; Flash and some friends were lounging in chairs. Charles was nowhere to be seen. I turned and ran down another hall, I could hear Flash, Craze, and Cody shouting after me.

I ignored them and sprinted further down the hall. A door opened straight in front of me, I skidded to a stop before I ran right into Charles.

"You! Hurry up, where've you been! I've been looking for you!!" Charles looked surprised as I grabbed his hand and started running. I pushed past Flash who looked angry.

"Just follow me, now!" I ran down the hall and up a flight of stairs, the panting behind me was easily audible (I of course was hardly breaking a sweat after my vicious workouts, ha suckers!). I burst through the door of Sarah and Charles's bedroom. Charles stopped, panting behind me. He straightened.

"Now what's going on here I-" He cut himself off as I stepped aside and Sarah was visible. "Sarah! What's wrong? What's going on?"

"She's in labor." My voice was tight. Charles exchanged a look with Flash.

"You know what to do." Flash nodded and looked at Cody and Craze, in an instant they were both gone.

I knelt beside Charles who was taking Sarah's pulse. "Do you have somebody ready? To help her I mean?" He spared an impatient glance at me.

"Of course."

"Who?"

"Me, I'm a doctor, a normal one." I nodded.

"I need to know what Sarah's powers are." He looked at me in surprise as he rolled up his sleeves.

"She can sense and control emotions." I nodded.

"Then we're going to need this room to be as empty as possible. If the baby inherits her abilities, it will be wreaking havoc with our emotions. Who knows what could happen." He looked at me, this time his eyes were thoughtful and surprised. I "You're right. You stay, but everyone else needs to leave." I nodded. Luke who had been standing quietly in the corner nodded at me and left. No one else was in the room. I went to the door and locked it. I turned to Charles; he was spreading towels on the bed. I went over and helped him.

"Flash went to get my bag, if need be he can run and get more help." I looked at him in confusion.

"Run?" He nodded distractedly.

"Flash can run really fast." Just then Sarah screamed, loudly. I felt a brief moment of panic. I stepped forward and held my hand out; she clutched it in a death grip.

She looked up at me blearily and smiled. "Everything's going to be fine, I know it." She closed her eyes and leaned back on the pillows as her body shook with another contraction.

I looked at Charles, he was kneeling at the end of the bed between her legs.

"She must have been in labor for a while, she's already really dilated. " I looked at Sarah in concern.

"She's really warm," He frowned.

"I can do something about that." I pried my hand from Sarah's and pulled off my t-shirt. I let my wings slip loose from my tank top, letting them start to fan Sarah's sweaty face. I spotted a hair tie on the bedside table and I grabbed it. I pulled her hair up from her neck and her face and pulled it into a bun. She reached for my hand again and I let her have it, I could practically feel my bones breaking.

A loud knock sounded on the door and Charles ran to answer it. Sarah groaned and held my hand more tightly.

Charles came back with his bag and knelt by Sarah again.

"She's crowning!" Yelled Charles.

"What?" I yelled back.

"I can see the baby's head!" I looked at Sarah in alarm. Charles suddenly looked up at me in confusion. "What, what's going on? I-I'm confused?" I looked at him then at the baby's head.

"Charles, concentrate! It's just the baby!" He shook his head and looked back down.

"Okay Sar, push!" Sarah screamed and strangled my hand some more. I looked at Sarah, suddenly oh so happy. No! It was just the baby, concentrate Max! I shook off the feeling; glad that the baby wasn't strong enough to keep a strong hold on our emotions.

"Push Sarah!" Sarah screamed again. I pulled my wings back a little, but let them keep fanning her. "You're almost there honey, push!" Sarah screamed again, this time I thought my eardrums would shatter. I felt a wave of anger but I pushed it back. It was just the baby.

Suddenly a wail broke the air. I looked down to see Charles cleaning a small wailing baby. Sarah's eyes were closed, she looked exhausted.

"Charles?"

"It's a girl, a beautiful girl." Sarah smiled tiredly. Charles looked at her in alarm. "Sarah?"

"Charles, I don't… I don't feel so good." Charles stood and shoved the baby at me. "Here." I took the girl in alarm. Charles started rummaging around I his bag. He swore and I covered the baby's ears. He ran and yanked the door open, "Flash! Get me the blood now!"

Charles ran back to Sarah slamming the door, but not before I got a glance at the crowd of people standing outside. I picked up a towel and wrapped the baby in it. Charles had already cut the umbilical cord.

"She looked at me, her eyes wide open. The same shade of blue as her father's. She cooed at me and I suddenly felt intensely hungry. "No baby, you'll be fed soon, I hope." I felt curiosity as the girl's eyes wandered over my face. I suddenly felt a wave of sleepiness, the baby's eyes closed and the fatigue faded. My emotions settled as the baby fell asleep. "They're going to have their hands full with you baby, yes they are!" I hugged her closer and looked at Sarah. Flash was helping Charles set up a needle and a bag of something that looked suspiciously like blood.

"She's lost a lot of blood." I nodded and rocked the baby; her breathing was soft and regular.

We all watched Sarah for a few moments, then a soft blush of color started to stain her cheeks. Her breathing became more regular. We all let ourselves relax. Charles looked at the baby for the first time.

"Hello there," He smiled at her and held out his arms. I let the baby rest with him as he looked at her in wonder. "Do you know your name? Yes, it's Shenaia, Shenaia." He snuggled her closer and sighed. "I have to take care of your mommy right now Shenaia, your going to go back to your Aunty, " Charles put her back in my arms and I smiled as a realization hit me. "I'm your Aunty!" I was an Aunt; I looked at the sleeping baby and grinned. I looked at Charles and then at Sarah.

She was waking up. I handed Shenaia to her, her face lit up and I smiled. I ran to the bedroom door and slipped out.

"I'm an Aunt!" The people in the hall looked at me. Cole snickered.

"Well we always knew your brain was small."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Wow. I feel like I just came back to earth. This chapter was very intense to write, I can only imagine what the next chapter will be like. Anyway, I love the reviews that I've been getting, keep it up.

I sat on the patio outside and stared at the sprawling lawn. I was alone, the team and I had already finished our workout with the guards. The Flock had been absent for most of the day, thankfully. I hadn't seen Fang since our little chat. I was taking that as a sign that he had gotten my message. Truth be told, I hadn't thought about Fang much since yesterday when Shenaia was born. I had spent most of my time with her while Sarah was recuperating, Charles at her side.

The guards had held the baby for brief periods of time, but I have to admit, I usually found a way to steal her back. I couldn't explain it, but I just loved to look at her, maybe I'm going soft in my old age but what can I say?

"Max?" I looked up, startled out of my thoughts by the sound of Sarah's voice.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you?" I looked at her curiously.

"Yeah, where's Shenaia?" Sarah laughed and sat down. "She's with Charles, but I need to talk to you alone." I was starting to get nervous.

"About what?"

"Well Max, you see. I, I didn't tell you why exactly Charles and I brought you here." She stopped, she seemed uneasy, as did I. "The compound, the mansion, everything is meant to be a sort of refuge."

"I don't understand."

"Max, when I was growing up in the orphanage, especially once I grew my wings I vowed that I would make a place that was safe for people like me and you to be free. When I met Charles, he had the money to make my dream come true, and the heart to make me happy." I grimaced at the mushiness.

"Anyway, we began our search for other mutants. Some we got to too late. They were dead or the school recaptured them before we could save them. Over the years we found more and more mutants, that's basically how we found Flash and everybody else. As the years wore on everybody helped us in getting the mutants. But now, we found another one." Here Sarah paused.

"Go on."

"It's a girl, she's about five. We found her when Dad," I assumed she meant Mr. Rockway Senior, "hacked into a government auction, a top secret auction. It wasn't actually the auction, just the introduction of the "goods" if you will. They were getting ready to sell an experiment, the girl. She has the power to kill anyone with her mind. A single person, a crowd, an army, she can kill them all in an instant." I stared at Sarah in shock.

"She's only five?" Sarah nodded. I felt sick. I knew the scientists were twisted, but this had to be all time low.

"So where do I come in?"

"We need you to retrieve her. She'll be a more difficult case than we've ever faced before. For one, all of the others had already escaped Itex, we just had to find them, but she's still at Itex. For another, she's being held in the Rocky Mountains somewhere in Colorado. At first we thought she was in Cheyenne Mountain, Norad, but she's somewhere deep in the ranges." Sarah looked at me despairingly.

"Max, this could be impossible. But, if we don't get her, she could be forced to kill thousands, millions of people. Think of what killing all those people would do to her! Max, we need your help. You have the government training, and you're the best! I don't know what's in your genes, but you've been the most successful Itex experiment yet! Max-" Sarah's voice had taken on a desperate edge. She looked at me pleadingly.

"Will you do it?" I didn't know why she even asked.

"Of course I will, the team and I will leave as soon as we can gather our resources. I know some people who owe me favors." Sarah let out her breath looking relieved, but apprehensive.

"Max, I don't think you understand. You're going to need more than just your team." I ignored the little voice in my head that was telling me where this conversation was going.

"What do you mean, we'll be fine. Like you said, we have the training to handle anything."

"Max, you need every advantage you can get! You'll need people from the guards and from the flock, you'll all die unless you work together!" I glared at her.

"For one, I refuse to go into the field with people I don't trust. And secondly, none of them are trained. With a mission this important, I won't have untrained tag alongs! When I was younger I thought I could take on anything! I was wrong! I could have died so many times. It was pure will and luck that kept me alive. I 'm not going to risk their lives and the team's!"

"So train them!"

"Do you realize how far back that would put us, time is of the essence!" We were shouting now but I didn't care.

"Max, you have to do this, you have to go beyond your past!"

'You think this is about my past? This is about life or death, and I'm not going to put my trust in untrained and naive mutants who rely on their powers too much! They don't have what it takes!" Notes of hysteria were worming their way into my voice.

Sarah took a deep breath and collapsed into her chair.

"Max," Her voice was quiet.

"Look at this for a second. There is only one way that you're going to get into that girl's cell. It's made of three yards of granite and steel so she can't kill her guards. If you blast in there, she will kill you unless Angel is there to talk to her first. You'll have to leave Cam at home," Before I could protest she held up a hand, "You'll need Flash for his speed and Sting, and Sonar, and Gazzy and Iggy. You might need more people, you'll decide that once we tell you more about the location, but Max. You and the team can't do this alone." I started to protest, but I stopped. Sarah was right.

I thought about my first mission, about how unprepared I had felt. "How long do we have till the bidding starts?" My voice was expresionless.

"Three days, the second the bidding is over they'll get her out of there. After that, there's not chance we'll ever get her." Sarah looked at me worriedly.

"I'll talk to you in an hour. I need to talk to the team. I want no one but yourself, Charles, and Mr. Rockway in that briefing. Sarah, if I have to take anyone else but the team on this, then it's going to be done my way, or no way." Sarah's eyes were wide as I turned towards the house. Before I walked away I turned to her.

"And Cam comes." All the happiness I'd felt from Shenaia's birth had evaporated. I thought about the mission ahead, and pushed back dread. All those untrained people I would be putting in danger. Flash and the guards, even the flock. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I could do this, I had to do this. Like Sarah said, I was the best. I'd have to be.


	16. Chapter 16

"So you're saying we have to bring some of the guards, AND some of the flock on what could be one of the most dangerous missions we've ever been on?" Sam was looking at me incredulously. "Why don't we just bring some government people?" I looked at her exasperatedly.  
"Because-" I was cut off by Cam standing up.  
"Because Sam, the government, otherwise known as our employer, is a part of this human auction and I don't think they'd take kindly to us interfering with their little plans." Cam was silent.  
"This sucks." Said Cole.  
" Maybe," We all looked at Cam again. "Maybe it won't be that bad, I mean it might not be that bad having some of the flock with us. Fang might be able to help us, I mean, he isn't well trained, but he has skills, right? And I mean really, all that stuff between you guys is in the past." I stared at Cam incredulously.

"Did you seriously just defend that bastard?" Cam looked at me defiantly.

"Yes, I think you're being ridiculous. I mean after hearing the flock's side of the story, I think they were more right than you were." I stiffened at her words.

"So you think turning me over to the school for no better reason than it wouldn't be them being tested is a forgivable?"

"Max, be careful." Lukes word's were low and tense. I nodded distracetedly at him.

I looked at Cam coldly and took a deep breath. "We're going on this mission, I will decide who goes and who doesn't based on their ability alone, nothing more. After this, I don't know if we can ever be friends again, I'll leave it up to the rest of you to decide who you want to go with after this mission, but let me tell you that I would choose carefully. Once you've lost my trust, and protection, you don't get it back." I turned and carefully walked out the door, my heart breaking as it did.

"Okay Max, here's the deal. We've pinpointed the holding location. It's located on mountain 290, the south side at the base of the mountaint. It's positioned about one-hundred feet into the mountain and two hundred feet down. The only way you can get in is if you blast into the mountain. That would immediately alert the guards so you'll have to move fast. The girl's cell is located at about 90 feet down. I'll leave the specifics to you but you'll need to work out how you'll get the girl out." Charles paused and looked at me, then at the images projected on the wall.

They showed the mountain and the approximate location of the girl's cell.

"We have resources if you want them, I don't know exactly what you need." I shook my head.

"No, I have resources of my own I'd rather use. I should let you know that from now until the time that we leave, I'm going to be pretty busy. I, well I wanted to thank you for what you've done." Wow, Maximum ride and mush, that's a new one.

Charles smiled and shut off the computer. "Good luck Maximum." I went to the door and opened it, "you'll need it." I don't think I was supposed to hear that part.

"All mutants except for Sarah and Shenaia, please report to the gym, NOW." My voice boomed over the intercom. I turned it off and went to stand in the middle of the mat in the gym. I stood with my back to the door, steeling myself for what was to come.

"Max? Are you going to tell us what's going on now?" I looked over at Flash and scowled, ignoring his question as the flock walked in the door, the team right behind them. I tried not to notice that Fang and Cam were walking together.

"Listen up," I looked at the assembled mutants and frowned. "Here's what's happening" I quickly gave them all the details of the situation. "So now I'm going to choose who's going to come ont he mission." I took a deep breath and carefully looked everyone over and started pointing at people. "You, you, you, and you. No, you stay, yeah, you, you." I ended up with a group of nine. Sam, Luke, Cole, Flash, Cody, Sonar, Angel, Fang, and Iggy. I turned to the leftovers, "You guys will wait at an assigned location, and if we...fail, you will try to salvage the mission, or kill the girl." They looked at me in shock.

"Bu-" I silenced Nudge with a glare. "Either you do it, or you stay home." Nudge glared at me and she looked like she was going to fight me, but then her shoulders slumped and she leaned into Gazzy, worry clouding her features. "Now, I want you all to leave. Cam, you call Raphat and Carson, tell them we'll need heavy portable firepower, ASAP." Cam nodded tensely and I could practically feel her anger at me, but I knew she would obey. After all, if she didn't he precious Fang could be lunch meat.

I shook my head and pushed that thought out of my head.

I turned to the people I had picked for the mission.

"By going on this mission, you are accepting my command, you do what I say no matter what. I tell you to jump, you say how high. I say shoot me, I'd better be dead. Got it?" They nodded, and I pointed towards the doors. "We train outside, and I suggest you start listening real close, especially you newbies, because what I say now could mean the difference between you surviving, or not."

The silent group filed out the door and I took a shuddering breath. I hoped that my terror wasn't showing, I hope I don't look as scared as I feel, cause right now I could just about scream like a girly girl.


	17. Chapter 17

I sat in Shenaia's room quietly rocking my new niece. I had spent the last few days training and preparing for the mission, now we were leaving in the morning and I wanted to spend a few more moments with Shenaia. The baby sighed and I felt a wave of contentment wash over me. I smiled and stroked her silky hair.  
Sarah had discovered what looked like wing growths when she was giving Shenaia her bath. I knew that by the time I got back, if I did, she would probably have little mini-wings. I chuckled at the thought and hugged the baby closer. If I could just stay this way forever, I would be happy. But that was impossible. I was Maximum Ride, happy endings weren't exactly my strong point.  
"Good night Shenaia, I love you." I carefully set the sleeping baby in her crib and I slipped out the door and back to my own room. I clung to the last shreds of peace that I had with Shenaia, who knew what the morning would bring?

I woke with a start, looking at the clock, I saw it was just before five. I stretched and got up, it was time to get going. I thought about what I was about to do as I got ready.

Could I really get the girl? Would she survive, would any of us survive? I had trained the newbies as best as I could but... I held back a wail of despair as I tugged on my black t-shirt. I laced up my combat boots and stood up. Taking a deep breath I looked in the mirror.  
I could do this, I was Maximum Ride, I can do anything. The fact that I'm nearly impossible to kill should be more comforting than it is. I took another huge breath and walked out of my room tapping on doors as I moved down the hall. Mutants filed in behind, me. I could hear their whispers and I knew they were nervous. Our procession ended in the gym where our packs were waiting. I immediately went to mine and I pulled out the weapons I had stored inside. I strapped on a belt that had a holster for my gun and a sheath for my knife. I pulled out a fleece jacket and put it on over the weapons.  
Standing I faced my new team. Some had already strapped on their weapons and were waiting, others were hurriedly loading and rechecking things.  
"Lets go." Silently they filed out of the gym and into the chilly morning air. We assembled on the lawn, our breath fogging out faces. I patted the tight braid I had pulled my hair into and tried not to let my nerves show.  
"How are we getting there?" Flash was at my side, his voice low.  
"Helicopters." Just then a mechanical popping noise filled the air and two big black helicopters came into view.  
"Backups into the big one, the rest of you in the other one." I jumped in and helped everyone else pile into the helicopter. When the lawn was empty, I nodded at the pilot. He nodded back and the copter began to rise. I saw a figure in a window, it was Charles. His face was impassive as he watched us leave, I could only imagine his thoughts.  
"Okay, the plan again, we get dropped we get to the mountain, Iggy blows things up, we go in, we get out, any questions?"  
"Max, were you serious when you told us to kill the girl if we couldn't get her out of there?" Sam's voice was worried.  
"Sam, you know it has to be done." She nodded and looked at her map. I looked at the rest of the crew, their faces were tense.  
Fang's eyes were dark when they met mine and I surpressed a shiver, hurriedly yanking my gaze away. I looked at Flash, he was muttering something to the guards that were on our copter. He met my gaze and looked away, his face red. I shook my head and looked out the window. I could see the other helicopter veering away from ours towards the point where the others would wait.  
I thought about Cam sitting in the helicopter and grimaced.  
I had sensed her anger at me ever since I hadn't chosen her to go on the mission. I had seen her getting chummy with the flock, especially Fang. I thought of Laura and smiled, lets see Fang explain that one to Cam.  
The team had been strained by mine and Cam's fight but sides had been chosen, Cam was the only one on hers. I full out grinned at that. Atleast the team had some loyalty.  
"Hey Max," I looked up to see the pilot, Jerry, beckoning me to the passenger seat.  
"What's up?"  
"We're almost there, you ready?"  
"I hope so." Jerry shot me a wry look and smiled.  
"I hope it's nothing too dangerous." I smiled and raised an eyebrow at Jerry.  
"Am I sensing someone fishing for information?" Jerry chuckled.  
"Hey, a guy can always try." I smiled and moved back to the cargo area.  
"Okay, we're almost there guys. Get ready." Everybody with wings was going to fly down. I however would be carrying Cole, who would be holding up our wingless members with his power. Jerry looked at me and gave the thumbs up. I threw the door open and motioned everyone forward.  
Fang jumped out first, then Iggy, and Angel. Nudge paused at the edge, her face fearful. "Max, that's an awful long way down, what if my wings-" Max's words faded away as I pushed her out. I grabbed Cole around the waist. His face was clammy.  
"You ready?" Hid nodd was amlmost imperceptible. I nodded at the rest of the team and they jumped out of the copter, linked together by their hands. I jumped out after them, holding Cole tightly, wishing he weren't quite so heavy.  
Cole's power took effect and the freefalling mutants floated to the ground. I and the winged mutants landed softly in a grove of pine trees. I took a quick head count, everyone was present.

"Iggy, you start getting ready." Iggy nodded silently and looped his finger in Fang's beltloop.

"Lets go." I motioned evreryone forward through the trees. We came to a small clearing and I pointed to the ground. "Okay Iggy, do your thing." Fang guided him forward and Iggy pulled a big package from his backpack. He pulled something and started scrambling away.

"Everybody move!" I shouted and I started running. We took shelter in a little dip in the ground where we lay waiting for the blast.

"Iggy? Are you sure this will work?" Iggy nodded.

"I'm sure. It's specially designed to blast straight down." I nodded and pulled out my gun loading it and making sure it was ready.  
Iggy closed his sightless eyes and smiled.

"Boom." he said softly. The earth shook and a wave of heat washed over us. I leaped up and motioned everyone forward.

"Go, go, now!" we ran back to the bomb to find a yawning hole.

"Whoa," Said luke softly. I grinned and snapped my wings out. "Cody, Angel, Luke, Cole, you guys are going down with me. Fang, Sonar, Iggy, you guys stay here. If there's a problem, tell Angel." They nodded and position themselves around the hole. Without another word I grabbed Cole and leaped into the hole. One by one the others jumped in after me. Cole held Luke aloft through his power.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever but it only took us a few minutes to get to the bottom. We stood on a floor of hard granite. I looked at Luke and nodded, he grinned and cracked his knuckles.

He leaped in the air and smashed his fist into the granite. A huge crack appeared and I smiled. He hit the rock again and the crack widened he put his hands in the crack and started pulling it apart. Angel stepped forward and closed her eyes.

"I can hear her, she's scared."

"Tell her we're friends Angel. Tell her we're taking her away from this place." Angel nodded and then frowned. "She says they're coming, fast." I looked around at everyone and scowled.

"Luke hurry!" Luke nodded and gave a last great heave, his muscles straining against his shirt. The rock split open and we all looked down the chasm. A little girl was looking up at us, hery eyes round.

"Hey sweetie," I smiled at her as Cody started to climb down the hole. In a second, he had reached her and he carefully picked her up and set her on his back. She clung to him tightly as he scurried back up to us.

Luke pulled him out of the hole the last part of the way. We smiled at eath other, now we could just go.

I looked down suddenly at a small sound. It was a...baby? I looked more closely and saw that there was indeed a baby in that hellhole. I looked at Luke and he looked down where the baby was.

"No Max. The guards are coming and we have to get out now."  
"Luke, I'm not leaving it there."

Luke glared at me and I glared back. "Cody, start climbing.Everyone else get going." They looked at me. "NOW!" They flinched and started climbing/flying/floating up. The girl was looking down at me from Cody's back, her eyes were sad.

I took a deep breath and jumped into the cell. It was dark, and cold. I could hear the sound of people outside the door. I looked at the baby and almost cried. Her skin was pasty and white, her limbs were almost all bone.

I knelt down and reached out to pick her up but I gasped instead. A stinging pain touched my hand where I had a cut. As I watched, the cut disappeared into smooth clean skin. I stared at the baby in shock. She looked back at me weakly. I picked her up, carefully and wrapped my arms around her.

Behind me the door burst open and I froze. "Put her down." I turned to see a tall man glaring at me, his face wolflike and his hands clawed.

"Yeah sure, let me just set her down right here. Would you like me to surrender while I'm at it?" He smirked.

"I"ve heard of your stupid little comments, they will not help you here."

"I don't think my comments are stupid! I think they're kinda cute." as I said this, I reached for my gun and pulled it out, pointing at his face.

"Now you let me go or I shoot." He smiled and before I could say oh no, someone stepped out from behind him, a gun in their hand, pointed right at me.

They smiled, and pulled the trigger.


	18. Chapter 18

The bullet hit me square in the forhead. The smiles and the faces of my attackers were priceless. They stared at my perfectly fine body in shock.

"I hit you dead on, you should be dead, I never miss!" The figure which I know recognised as a skinny little man pouted.

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm not dead, but I really have places to be, so goodbye!" I leaped up, the baby in my arms, and flew throught the chasm to the hole above me. I heard a scratching sound behind me and I looked down to see the wolf man scrambling towards me. He leaped up and caught my foot, I kicked at him and he let go. I screamed at me and pulled something from his pocket, pushing it into the wall of the tunnel.

He smirked at me, just as the bomb exploded. He was thrown into the opposite wall and I was hit my the blast. I curled my body around the baby, pulling my wings in so they wouldn't break. The baby and I were thrown out of the tunnel and into the open air. I threw open my wings and stopped us midair. I looked down at the baby, she was silent, her eyes open and wide.

I sighed and began flying away from the bombsite, looking for the rest of the team, I saw them about a mile away. They had joined up with the extras, their faces were grim. I sighed in relief and circled above them, coming in for a landing.

Angel looked up and pointed at me, shock in her face. One by one they looked up to see me, their faces breaking into smiles.

"Max!" Luke ran towards me and enveloped me into a bone crushing hug. I squirmed away from him and pointed to the baby.

"Be careful, she's delicate!" He looked at her disapprovingly.

"You could have been killed." He scowled at the baby and she whimpered.

"But I wasn't, and that's what matters."

"What can she do Max," said Sam curiously.

"I think she can..." I trailed off, thinking back to when she had healed my cut. The cut that shouldn't be there. I looked at my hand and back at the baby. How had I gotten that cut, the school had tried to cut me with all sorts of things, none of them working, so how had I gotten that cut?

"Max?" Flash was looking at me worriedly.

"I'm fine, look now isn't the time for talking, we need to move has anyone called the copters." They shook their heads and I sighed. Did I have to do everything? I pulled a walkie-talkie from Luke's back pack and I switched it on.

"Big bird, this is little bird, do you copy?"  
"Yeah little bid, I hear ya. I Think I see ya too, I'll be there soon. Over and out." I smiled at Jerry's words and I looked at the sky. The two copters were coming closer, their outlines dark against the blue sky.

They hovered above us, ropes dangling from them. The rescue group climbed into their respective copters, I went last, still clinging to the baby.

I settled gratefully into the copter. We were safe, and none of us were dead. I looked over at the little girl that had been the object of our mission, she was asleep in Cody's arms, her face innocent. I looked back at the baby, my thoughts turning back to that cut, what had done it? More importantly, what was I going to do with the baby of life?


	19. Chapter 19

The copters dropped us back at the mansion just as the sun was setting. We were met by Sarah and Charles along with Rockway senior. Sarah was holding Shenaia looking worried. As we began to spill out of the copters I could see her mouth moving in a hurried head count. Her shoulders sagged in relief when she saw that we were all there.

"Oh, oh you're back! You all made it, and you did it!" Sarah beamed at the girl who's name we had found out was Jane. Jane hung back, clining to Cody who she'd taken a liking to.

Sarah turned to me and was about to give me a one armed hug when she saw the baby in my arms.

"Trade?" I said to her sarcastically. She looked confused for a moment before Flash stepped forward.

"She rescued it along with Jane, it was in the same cell. Max almost got herself killed in the process." I rolled my eyes and turned to Flash, pushing the baby into his arms.

I turned to my team, sans Cam, and looked them over. They were fine, they were safe, and we were together.Right now, thats all I could want. I reached out and pulled Sam and Cole into a hug, using my wings to pull Luke in as well. I held them all close and sighed.

I had knew that more trouble was on its way, but right now, I was just enjoying the mush.

THE END!

Just kidding! Part two is coming, it won't be put up as a new story but as a continuation of this one. Sorry this is so short, longer chapter to come!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Hey peeps, thank you sooooo much for the reviews. I just thought I'd say again how much I love to get them. They are the whole reason I've continued this story. Anyway, here's a nice long chappie for you filled with lots of action. Read on!

"Max." I abruptly looked up from the map I was studying as Luke's voice sounded through the library.  
"Yeah?" I hurriedly pushed the map away and stood.

"I think it's time we talked," I saw that Cole and Sam were following Luke. I took a deep breath and steeled myself.

"About what?"

"Max, you know we're going to be staying with you right?" I nodded, I had figured as much but I had still been scared that the team would change their minds and stay with Cam. "Max, what are we doing next." I took a deep breath and turned away, I had been dreading this question.

'Well, first off, I have to talk to our bosses. They're probably getting impatient with us."

"You mean the government?" Sam's voice was worried.

"Yes. I'm going to tell them that we don't want to work for them anymore. It's over," They were silent for a moment.

"When are you leaving?" Cole's voice was dry.

"Today."

"But you just got back!" said Sam.

"I know, but I have to go. I'll be back soon, tell Sarah goodbye."

"Your leaving now?" Luke looked at me steadily, his gaze intense. I looked towards the window and frowned.

"Yes, I have some things to take care of." I quickly hugged each of them and walked towards the window. Throwing it open I snapped my wings open and leapt out. I could see Flash and the guards lounging on the lawn. They sat up as I flew over but I didn't stop.

I soared over the walls and paused midair. I could see the team silhouetted in the window. I thought about what I hadn't told the team, that this trip was for more than just contacting the government. This was for finding out more about what had cut me, I needed to know. Turning, I angled myself towards headquarters and poured on the speed.

I landed a mile away from the building and smoothed my hair. I took a deep breath and quickly walked down the crowded street till I reached my destination.

I walked in and went straight to the elevator, ignoring the receptionist who stared at me in shock. Two blacksuits fell in beside me, waiting silently for the elevator. When I stepped in, they were right behind me. Before I could press a button, they had pressed it for me.

The ride was silent as we rode to the top floor of the building. I thought about my other rides in this elevator and closed my eyes.

The doors slid open silently to reveal the office of Mr. Brachton. He sat behind his desk, staring at me as I stepped into the office. In one of the chairs facing his desk sat Laura. I ignored her and stood facing Brachton.

"Maximum."

"Brachton."

"I've heard some rumors Maximum. very strange rumors indeed. Do you know what I have heard Maximum?" I stared at him.

"I heard that you disrupted a very delicate negotiation, do you know what I'm talking about Maximum? It doesn't matter, because you will be bringing the team back and you will go back to work as usual, you will bring the child back with you" I shook my head and smiled.

"I quit." I turned and walked towards the elevator but was stopped when something latched onto my arm.

I turned to see Laura grasping me in a deathgrip. Her eyes were red and her her was messy.

"Fang, the flock, are they alright? Tell me, tell me, are they okay?" I looked coldly at her and she flinched but didn't let go.

"Why should I care?" I shook her free and pressed the button to the elevator. The doors dinged open and I stepped in. The blacksuits were still there. I reached to press a button but one of the suits stopped me and pressed a button.

I noticed that it wasn't for the lobby. I looked at them and then back at the doors. Before they could prepare themselves I brought both of my fists down and hit them in the groin. They both fell to the floor gasping. I knelt and pressed a pressure point on each of them, in a second, they were out cold, I've still got it.

I stepped over them and pressed the button for the lobby. Stepping out I walked towards the door. Increasing my pace. When I saw that several blacksuits were converging on the door. I cursed under my breath as they formed a line blocking the door.

I could see people slowly backing away from the door and I paused. I stared at them for a moment then started running forward I leapt into a flying sidekick and hit one straight in the gut. He clutched his stomach as the others descended on me. I hit one in the ribs with a round kick, another with a low kick to the groin. I hit the last one in the knee, shattering it. I leapt towards the door, trying to pull it open I saw that it was blocked by one of the suits I had taken down.

I groaned and looked around, I saw a ficus in a ceramic pot and I grinned. Grabbing the ficus and its container I threw it at the glass doors. They shattered and I leapt through just as more blacksuits burst out of the elevators.

I could feel the stares of pedestrians as I ran down the street. I heard a car rev behind me, sparing a glance I saw a dark mercedes speeding towards me, driving way above the speed limit and swerving around cars that were going too slowly. I knew that suits were coming for me on foot as well. Making a split second decision I snapped my wings out and launched myself into the air. I immediately heard gasps and camera clicks below me. Gritting my teeth I flew down an alleyway. I heard the car turn in behind me.

The snap of gunfire sounded in the alley and I gave thanks for my bullet proof-ness. I shot out into the open air and crash landed on the roof of a building. I rolled behind the ledge around its rim, my hear pounding. I heard banging on the fire escape, they were coming up. I gritted my teeth and looked around. The only way I would get out of here was by flying. I spread my wings and was about to fly when I felt a sharp stinging in my wing. I looked over and saw blood coming from the muscle joining my wings to my back.

I cursed and reached my hand up to the wound. I gritted my teeth as I pulled out the bullet. I wiped it on my shirt, and held it up to the light. It was...glittery. I frowned, so this was rock that had cut me. It looked to be some sort of crystal. Hearing the sounds of my pursuers coming closer, I tucked the bullet into my pocket and jumped into the air, ignoring the pain in my wing.

As I rose in the air I looked down to see a boy about my age aiming a gun at me. Looking at his face I nearly froze, his eyes were black and they seemed to see straight to my soul. I tore my gaze away and launched into super speed, time to leave.


	21. Chapter 21

Luke

"Oh my god." I looked up to see Sam staring at the morning paper with shock.

"What? Let me see!" Cole tried to grab the paper from Sam but she yanked it away.

"No listen to this. Winged Girl Attacked" Cole and I stared at each other in horror as Sam went on. "New Yorkers were witness to the re-emergence of winged humans. A girl, her identity is unknown, shocked onlookers when she seemed to sprout wings and she flew away at speeds that rival the concord. Eye witnesses report hearing gunshots and seeing men in suits chasing the girl." Sam stopped and stared at the page. "Oh god." We looked at each other silently.

"Should we tell anybody?" Sam's voice was quiet as she spoke."

"No," I looked around to make sure no one else was on the patio. "We don't know what she's doing, if she needs us she'll call, but other than that, we don't say a word."

"We don't even tell Sarah?" I shook my head.

"Tell me what?" We all turned to see Sarah looking at us suspiciously. Great.

Max

I pressed the rag more firmly to my wing and held back a whimper of pain. I was sitting in an alley somewhere in New Jersey. I didn't have the energy to go further than that.

"So, how's the little birdy." I looked up to see the boy from before. His gun was pointed straight at my head and I heard a click as he cocked the gun.

I heaved myself to my feet. Biting back a yelp as yet more blood flowed from my wing, I stared at his strange eyes for the second time in forty eight hours.

"So you going to kill me with your sparkly bullets now?" I stared at him defiantly. He cocked his head and looked at me thoughtfully.

"That depends. Give me your hand." I looked at him suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Just do it." I held my hand out and tried to stop it from shaking. He grabbed it while he kept the gun pointed at me.

He looked at me for a moment, his face unreadable. He gave a small gasp and let go. I sagged against the wall and watched him, waiting for his verdict.

"No, no I think I'll let you live." He was breathless as he stared at me.

"How nice of you." I took a deep breath and looked at my wing. The rag was soaked through with my blood, I knew I couldn't take much more. "Now that you're going to let me live, would you leave so I can make sure that I do just that?" He smirked as he tucked the gun into the waistband of his jeans.

"No, you'll die if I leave you here. You're coming with me." I glared at him.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not, INFINITy, ha!" He rolled his eyes and stepped forward, before I could hit him, he scooped me up without touching my wing and I saw him open a pair of black wings tipped with white. I gasped as he jumped into the air.

"Don't worry, I'm not taking you back to Brachton. I'm taking you somewhere...safe." I shut my eyes and tried to breathe deeply. I knew that I should be trying to fight him, trying to get away, but the pain was too much, too much...pain.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Hello lovely wonderful reviewers, you make the world go round, (the rest of you don't matter) JUST KIDDING, I wanted to say a few things before I got to writing. One, this chapter is short, I know, but more will come. It's mostly just to introduce... THE BOY and give you his name. It might be kind of confusing right now but all will be clarified in the next couple of chapters, have no fear, just keep on reviewing and I'll be happy. happyupdates

I woke up with a dreamy feeling, almost as though I were flying, no, more like floating. I sighed and pulled the soft blanket around me more tightly... Wait what soft blanket?

I jerked upright, my eyes wide open, my muscles tense. I stared around me in wonder. I was sitting in what appeared to be the shell of a beams over my head and I could hear wind whistling outside. Light filtered through hazy windows, casting shadows against the beams that crossed the area around me. I heard a something creak behind me and I saw the boy landing on a cross beam.

His face was thrown into shadow and I couldn't really study his features. "You're awake."

"How observant." He silently regarded me, fanning his wings back and forth absently. "Where is this place?"

"New York." He was silent again and I stared at him before letting my wings loose and looking at my wound. All that remained was a pink scar that was already covered with a light layer of my down feathers.

"So what kind of bullet was that?" He looked at me and smiled.

"It was a diamond bullet. Made just for you, in a limited number. They were rather expensive but Brachton thought it was necessary. The school said it was the only substance they thought might cut you." I stared at him in horror.

"Brachton has been talking to the school?" He nodded and I looked at the floor. "Since when?"

"Since you left with the Rockways." I turned and looked more carefully at my surroundings. What I had taken to be a regular old room was round. It was shaped like a donut with a ring like railing in the center. I walked over to the railing and looked down. The floor dropped away to reveal a dark pit going down further than I could see.

"So why exactly am I not dead right now?" I heard his footsteps as he came to stand next to me. "I can't tell you that right now." I glared at him.

"Why not?"

"Because."

Great, just great, I've got another Fang on my hands. "Your worse than Fang." I muttered.

His lips twitched. "I'm not surprised." I looked at him suspiciously.

"Why?"

"We are brothers after all." I stared at him in shock, my mind reeling.

"You're his brother."

He nodded and I looked at him more closely, my mind seemingly numb. I looked at his face and saw that he did look like Fang. The same mouth, the nose, it was the eyes that were different. Darker, older. I looked away, a surge of anger working its way through my body.

"I'm guessing Fang has no idea." He nodded. "Do I get to know your name or is that classified information?" I meant it as a rhetorical question but he tensed and looked at me carefully.

"Gabriel. My name is Gabriel." I looked away from Gabriel and back down at the pit. I put a foot on the bottom rung of the railing and slowly climbed up it.

I flapped my wings experimentally, my injured wing seemed fine enough to fly on. I looked down at Gabriel who watched me wordlessly.

"So you're not going to kill me?"

"No."

"So you need me for something?"

"Maybe."

"So if I jumped off with my wings in you would be upset?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me and smirked.

"Would you really do that?"

I smiled, at him and jumped, my wings tucked tightly to my sides.

Gabriel

I watched as Max jumped off the railing, her light wings tucked tightly into her back. She spread her arms out as she fell back first. She watched me searching my face as she fell out of view. I smiled when she couldn't see me anymore. She wouldn't like what she found at the bottom of the hole.

I heard a splash as Max fell into the huge tank of water that used to hold fish. The echoes of her splutters reached my ears and my smile widened. I jumped onto the railing and jumped off to get the only person who I had ever told my real name.


	23. Chapter 23

"So you live in an old hotel?" I looked at Gabriel incredulously.

"Yes."

"And why on earth do you want to live here? I mean you work for the government, I'm sure they adequately compensate you." Gabriel looked out a window and grimaced.

"The government has ways of tracking where it's money goes, I'd rather not make it too easy for them to find me." Gabriel seemed to be looking beyond the window as he spoke. His eyes seemed to darken and I shivered.

"Are you cold?" I shook my head.

"No, I'm all dried off. Although I wouldn't have gotten wet in the first place if you had told me what I would be falling into."

"You have wings."

"Yes and when I put them out to land I didn't have anything to land on!" Gabriel smiled and I frowned.

"Are you going to tell me why exactly I'm here? Why you haven't killed me? I know I already asked before, but you gotta know this is killing me!" Gabriel's eyes followed dust speck as it floated to the floor.

"You should know, that I have a power, besides my wings. I know who anyone I touch has every killed in their life, I know why, I know how, I know when. I know who they're going to kill, and when they themselves are going to die." His voice was empty, drained of emotion. "When I took your hand, I was checking you out. Seeing if you were as bad as they had told me. I chose not to kill you because you, well because you are going to kill some people I don't like." I felt my breath fly out of my chest. More death.

"Who? Who do I kill?" I looked at him, and when he was silent I grabbed his shoulders, turning him to face me. I looked into his eyes, ignoring the swooping feeling they incited and I stared at him.

"Who. Do. I. Kill."

Our eyes were locked, his hard, mine angry.

"Brachton."

"That's it? You're keeping me alive so I can kill Brachton?"

"Yes! Do you have a problem with that? Or have you not noticed that despite what they may tell you, when you're a mutant, you have to work for them, there's no other choice! Either you kill, or they posses you, make you do what they want when they want!" We glared at each other.

"So when do I kill Brachton?"

"When you want it to end."

"When I want what to end?" I was getting frustrated with his clipped answers. He stared at me, this time I couldn't totally ignore the swooping sensation in my stomach.

"Remember when the school was chasing you? That feeling of not knowing who to trust? Where to go? That feeling that there's nowhere in the world they can't find you? Well this will be worse, a thousand times worse." I could only stare at Gabriel in horror.

A/N: Hey peeps, guess what? NEW STORY!!!!!!!!! YAY! okay, it's under miscellaneous stories but it's a fanfic for Eragon, it's set after Brisingr and I am SO excited about it (I hope I get a lot of reviews, hint hint!) lol, so check it out. It's called The Third Rider and to Inkypinkyanna, you win the award for my longest review yet! You rock!


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: READ THIS: AUTHOR STATUS UPDATE, VITAL TO YOUR HAPPINESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF MY TWISTED BRAIN! You reading? Good. So here's the deal. I was just out of down for a bit so I haven't been updating (sorry :() Anyway, from now on, or at least whenever I'm in the mood, I'll update this story first, then The Third Rider. I am thinking about deleting some stories as well as adding a new one (not right away). I think I'll put up a taster for my new story on my profile. You can check it out and vote on the pole I'll do about whether or not I should write it. I also have to update on my Tamora Pierce fic, so I'm pretty busy. Hang tight and I'll get the stories out, don't worry! anyway, Read on!

I stared quietly out the window, the inky sky impaired my view of anything that existed beyond the flickering streetlamp on the corner. I was all alone, Gabriel had left to report to Brachton. He wouldn't be coming back for a while, in fact he wouldn't be coming back till Brachton sent him out again to track me down. Ironic isn't it?

I let my wings fan out by my face, the soft feathers stroking my cheeks. The candle by my feet flickered and watched it, the dancing flame bringing back memories of the times I had sat around fires with the flock. On the run, scared, not knowing where our next meal would come from. I had though that all my troubles would end once I started working for the government, but now, the very people I had counted on to save me, were the very people I had to save myself from. Not to mention every other person who I loved and wanted safe.  
I almost wished Gabriel hadn't told me anything. I wished that I didn't know that I was supposed to kill Brachton for Gabriel or myself I suppose. If only Gabriel could kill Brachton himself, why did I have to do it?  
Suddenly a thought raced through my head and I stiffened. Why did I have to do it? Why couldn't Gabriel, an experiment who could kill anybody with his bare hands, kill Brachton. Why was he saving me to kill Brachton? What if he wasn't, what if he was just telling me that so that I'd stay here and he could go get someone who had the tools needed to perform evil experiments on me.

I stood, extending my wings among the beams of the building.  
How stupid was I. He was Fang's brother after all, by his own admission. Bullshit, I'll bet Fang knew about this the whole time, the team.... the team was in danger. A small growl rumbled in my chest as I started running for a large empty window. How could I be so stupid? Gabriel fed me a story and I ate it up like a sucker. Not now, now I was going to get the team and I was going to go someplace where the government and anybody else that wanted to find us, never could. It was time to do what I do best, survive.


	25. Chapter 25

I landed silently on the roof of the mansion. I had been flying for eight hours straight, but I couldn't stop, I had to get the team out before anybody could get to them. I jumped softly down to a balcony, I peered in the window and smiled. It was Luke's room. I tested the window, it was unlocked. Great, just great, bullet proof glas does a lot of good when the window is unlocked. I rolled my eyes and pushed the window open. I crept into the room and over to the bed.

"Luke, Luke wake up." Luke sighed and opened his eyes.

"What do you want max? I'm tired." I waited. Luke's eyes shot open and he sat up."Max? You're back?"

"No this is Max's evil clone."

"oh, how was you're trip." I rolled my eyes.

"It was fine, now get up, we're leaving."

"What!?"

"Shh! Now get up, I'll wake up everybody else, and by the way, I do have an evil clone. Her name is Max too, but don't worry, it's really me." I slipped out of the room chuckling at Luke's slightly worried face.

I hurried down the hall, quickly waking up Sam and Cole, in a few minutes, we were all gathered in the hall. They hadn't taken time to gather anything, they only wore our standard black cargo pants and black t-shirts along with the combat boots.

"You guys, my little visit with out ex-employers didn't go so well, we have to get out of here. Is everyone else in bed?"

"I think so."

"Okay, follow me."

I slipped into Luke's room and crept towards the balcony, Jumping off, I landed quietly in the grass. My three followers landed just as silently behind me. We ran quickly and silently across the lawn towards the wall that enclosed the compound.

I stopped short, as I spotted a several figures just outside of the shadow of the wall. I nodded to Sam and she turned invisible. I waited for a few moments until I felt her beside me again.

"It's the flock, they're not really doing anything, just talking." I nodded and motioned the team forward again, this time more cautiously. We crept silently around the group until we were at the wall.

Luke knelt in the grass and held his hands in a cup. He practically threw first Sam, then Cole over the wall. "Do you want me to boost you?"

I nodded, "they'll see my wings." Luke nodded and I stepped into his hands, he was about to throw me into the air when a sharp voice sounded in the darkness.

"Who's there." I froze trying to blend into the shadows.

"I know you're there, so show yourself." I suddenly recognised the voice as belonging to Flash.

"Flash, go away right now, I don't want to, but I will hurt you."

"Max? What's going on, when did you get back?"

"I can't tell you that, just leave and I won't hurt you."

"Flash?" This time my heart sank as Fang's voice came out of the darkness.

"Who's there?"

"It's Max."

"Max?"

"Traitor?"

"What are you doing."

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Max, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that I stupidly let my team live in the same house as you and your evil sidekicks."

"Hey, we're not sidekicks."

I smirked at Gazzy's offended tone.

"Well I hate to have gotten the gang together for nothing, but we'll be going now."

"Who's we?"

"Me and Santa Claus of course, now I bid you adieu."

I nodded at Luke and he used his super strength to jump over the wall. I let my wings fan out and gave a flying leap, landing a good couple of away from the wall on the other side.

As soon as I hit the ground the rest of the team was up behind me and running.

"Max, Max wait!" I looked back to see Fang flying towards us, gaining quickly.

"Max!" I looked forward at Sam's cry to see the line of flyboys awaiting us.

Fang landed behind us and I turned to glare at him.

"I knew it, you and your brother were together the whole time, I should have killed you while I had the chance."

"Max-" I turned not listening to what he had to say as a flyboy came at me.

I launched into the battle, fighting my way through the neverending mass of flyboys.

Around me, I saw first Cole, then Sam, and finally Luke fall, tranquilizer darts in their necks.

I paused, surrounded, defeated. I glared at the remaining flyboys. I put up my fists ready to fight again.

I knew I couldn't win, but I could damn well try.

That was my last thought as something struck me on the head and a soft voice filled my ears.

_It's time for your final test Maximum, and this time, you can't escape. _

A/N: Okay, this is kind of a filler chapter, sorry it took me so long but what can I say? people need to stop writing addicting fanfics. Anyway, I am UBER excited about the next chapter I hope you like it, I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen, but I have some sens of the effect I'm hoping to create. Anyway, remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I update!


	26. Chapter 26

Hello people, please don't hate me for putting up an authors note instead of a chapter, but I am thinking about having someone possibly beta for me. I've never had a beta before so I'd be kind of new to the process. It might mean that the chapters would take a little longer to get out but you know. So anyway, this is just to see who's interested, I'm not positive yet but I wanted to see if there are any people who would want to suffer through it. So anyway, PM me or review if you're interested. And here's a sneak peak at the next chapter!

"Wow, being held captive for the government is way better than being at the school. I mean here they stick you in a virtual reality instead of dog crate, can I say yay?"

(Measley I know but I thought I'd get you interested)


	27. Chapter 27

I was warm. Lying on soft green grass. I felt nice, happy. I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the beautiful blue sky above me. I sat up and looked around, a mellow haze hanging in my head. Shenaia was sleeping in the grass beside me, her face sweet and restful.

I started to wonder why she was here, why I was here, but the thoughts just trickled out of my head. Beside me Shenaia stirred, her eyes opening sleepily.

"Aunty Max, did you miss me." I stared at her in sluggish confusion, her voice was deep, like a man's. It grated on my senses. "Did you miss me, me, me...." The voice coming out of her mouth echoed into silence.

I stared at her in horror as she started to stand, her little legs wobbling as they lengthened and grew, her face was contorting and stretching until one of the old erasers faced me. I stared at it wanting to run away but my senses were numb.

"Are you ready Maximum?" The gravelly voice stirred me I scrambled to my feet, but as I did, the scene seemed to shiver, the trees melted away and the grass dissolved till I was standing in a long hallway. The walls and tiles were white, fluorescent lights flickered above me.

I started running, aching to escape this new contraption the school or the government or whoever had designed. Because it wasn't real, it couldn't be real.

My breath was coming in panicked gulps as I ran down the hall. I could see no end in sight. I looked back and saw the same endless expanse of white hallway.

"Let me out of here!" I screamed, my voice was loud as it resonated in the hall. Before I could say anything else, my own words echoed back to me, " let me out! let me out! let me out!" I could feel tears of panic, of helplessness, of fear, coursing down my face.

"let me out." This time, it was a whisper, I slowly collapsed against a wall, my head in my hands as a faint echo of my words reached me again.

_Are you ready Maximum? _The same voice from before reached my ears, the rough tenor grinding through my head.

"No, let me out, let me out!"

_Thank you Maximum. That will be all for today. _I looked up, the fluorescent lights were going out one by one along the hall, slowly plunging the hall into darkness.

The smell. The smell was pushing into my lungs, that antiseptic smell.

"Heart rate, 120/30. We'll need a glucose injection, she still needs about 2,000 calories for today."

"yes doctor." I looked around to see a doctor writing something on a chart and a nurse doing something to an i.v. bag. I looked at my arms to see them bound by velcro straps. I tried to move my legs only to find that they were bound as well.

The doctor looked up when I tried to move.

"Hello Maximum? Did you like our little experiment? It's something new, a virtual reality if you will."

"Wow, being held captive for the government is way better than being at the school. I mean here they stick you in a virtual reality instead of dog crate, can I say yay?" The doctor smiled.

"That's the spirit Max!" I stared at him incredulously.

"Just so you know that was SARCASM, it means that I was mocking you and you didn't even get it, FYI you really shouldn't be talking to me like this, being nice to the prisoners is a no no." I smiled sweetly at him and he looked blank for a second.

"Oh Maximum, they didn't tell me that they gave you such a strong sense of humor!" He chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

"Jeez, well if you're being this nice why don't you just untie me?" The doctor smiled, of course Maximum, if that's what you'd like." I stared at him in shock as he undid the velcro straps.

I got up from the bed, shivering in the light hospital gown they had dressed me in. The nurse was looking at the doctor uncertainly.

"Like I said, you aren't supposed to be nice to the prisoners." The doctor looked puzzled until I punched him and he dropped to the floor. I quickly did the same to the nurse, resisting the urge to sit down and laugh at the stupid idiots who gave me a dumb doctor.

I looked at my hospital gown again and grimaced, I couldn't escape in this, they'd know who I was.

I looked around, my eyes finally finding the nurse, too easy.

I strode out of the room, trying to look as though I knew where I was going. A guard was standing lazily outside my room, he nodded without actually looking at me as I went by and I thanked god that the nurse I had stolen the clothes from was tall and blond.

I walked down the hall, searching for an exit sign or a window. The hall was windowless and I didn't see a sign anywhere. I heard a sound behind me and I turned to see a man in a white coat walking into my room.

I started walking faster as red light started flashing above my head. Dang. I looked over my shoulder again and I saw the doctor run out of the room. He looked down the hall and spotted me.

"Nurse, nurse we have an escapee, code 265!" I nodded and started hurrying down the hall, hopefully he won't notice that... "Hey! You aren't a nurse!"

"No shit sherlock!" I spun around and glared at the doctor.

"Someone, hurry up she's getting away!" I glared at the doctor and sprinted forward I grabbed him and put a hand over his mouth. He struggled against me as I dragged him to a random door. I threw it open and froze.

"There she is!"

A/N: Okay I don't think it's my best chapter, but more is coming and I'm sorry about the slow updates, please review though! And btw, a lot of stuff is going to be explained in the next chapter so stay tuned.


	28. Chapter 28

So lets say, being the lucky person that I am, I happened to open the one door that opened onto a stairwell full of erasers out to get me, yeah that would be crazy right? Well guess what folks, its a crazy world 'cause that's exactly what happened.

So to make a long and potentially embarrassing story short, I got caught, taken to a dark cell, and they locked me in (there was some fighting in there, but I'd rather not mention that because I got rather severely whupped).

"Get in there, I'll be back for you." Said the eraser who was dumping me in my cell. Yeah, I said eraser, I guess the higher ups wanted some minions who could actually think, not altogether an improvement from the fly boys I must say.

"Hello Max." I froze. "Fancy seeing you here." I turned to see Gabriel occupying one of the two cots in the cell.

"Hello freak face."

"Look who's talking."

"Look who's dying."

"What? Who?"

"You, as soon as I stepped into this cell, you began to die a very slow and painful death. Because of you and your brother I have had my entire life turned upside down." I glared at him and cracked my knuckles.

"Look Max, I think you're under the impression that I'm working with the government or someone."

"Or someone," I said, thinking of Fang.

"Who do you think I'm working with?" Said Gabriel curiously.

"Oh I don't know, maybe your brother!" Gabriel smiled.

"Somehow, I don't think you'd think that'd be a good thing." I glared at him silently. "Why is that?"

I looked away and sighed. "Fang is one of the few people that... Nothing. I don't want to talk about him." Gabriel looked as though he was about to ask more but he closed his mouth and sat up.

"Here's the deal. I need you to trust me, and to do that I'm going to have to tell you some things." I watched him silently, waiting for the big revelation.

"I was a test tube baby. Born and bred in the school, never even saw another child. The scientists bred me to be theirs, on their side, doing their work, thinking their thoughts. One of the reasons they gave me my power was to help them find out who was their enemy or not. I guess they never thought I could turn out to be the one they had to watch out for. Anyway, I grew up in the labs, and as soon as I was old enough, I began to watch. I watched and gathered information, I needed ammunition against the people who had stolen my life. It got a little complicated when the government got involved, they were much more attuned to treachery but I got past them. Of course I had never really done anything to oppose them, I had always done what they told me until you." Gabriel paused and turned his dark eyes on me. I was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"The thing about my power is that the future can change. I saw two possibilites for when you killed Brachton. Either you killed him or..." He stopped, his eyes closed.

"Or what!" I sat forward on the cot. "Tell me!"

"Or we all die, all the mutants, everyone. You see, Brachton is the head of the government school alliance. The government wasn't really sure whether they wanted to get involved or if they wanted to shut the school down. Brachton was the man who campaigned to get the government involved. He was the one who wanted to take the testing to the next level. If you kil Brachton then you shut down everything, the school, the scientists, everything. Don't you see how important this is Max?"

"You know that doctor you saw when you first woke up? He created the neuro-simulator. The machine the scientists use to mess with our brains. He tested it on himself when he was first creating it and some things went a little awry so he's kind of loopy. Those are the kind of things the school is working on now, weapons, things to mess with your brain. It has to be stopped!" Gabriel stood and crossed the room, kneeling in front of me. His face was desperate and hard in a scary way.

"Why should I believe you Gabriel? You are the brother of the guy who I trusted most in the world before he and my former family destroyed that by turning me over to the very people you claim to hate. What if you're with him? What if I don't want to fight? What if I want to be done?" My voice had steadily climbed in volume till I was shouting.

"You have to fight Max. Not fighting is letting them win. None of us, you Fang, me, your team, none of us can work out our personal issues until these guys are taken down. They took away our lives Max, they took away normalcy and innocence for us. And guess what, they'll keep doing, they'll keep doing it till someone stops them and you can do it, the question is will you? And as for me working with Fang, I never was."

"Why can't you kill Brachton? You must have had millions of opportunities."

Gabriel laughed bitterly. "If I could have, I would have. But I can't. They implanted a chip in me that can send a 2,000 watt volt of electricity straight to my brain if I come within four feet of anyone important. I would be dead before I had even made a fist. They don't let me have guns in the building either, Brachton never sets foot outside, he lives in this building and when he's in transit, he's heavily guarded. He's not stupid, he knows he has enemies."

I stood and walked past Gabriel. I had two choices him, I trusted him and took him at his word, or I didn't. I had no idea how to get out of here with my life and the team. I needed him. The second he turned traitor I could kill him. I turned and faced him.

"Do you know your way around here?" Gabriel nodded.

"Then your going to help me and if you do I just might kill Brachton. The second I think you can't be trusted you'll be dead, got it?"

Gabriel nodded and stood. "Lets get started then."

A/N: Hey people, I hope you liked it. I'm rather busy at the moment so I'm kind of slow on the updates and I can't remember the last time I updated some of my other stories. Oh well, anyway. I'm not sure where this is going to end but I know I'm getting there. I think I might do a sequel, but I don't know. Remember, REVIEWS MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND! So review, please? Read on!


	29. Chapter 29

"Take that!" Gabriel hoisted me through the air right into the door. I winced but sat up. I hit the door with my fist a few times, making as much noise as possible. Gabriel threw himself into the door beside me and winced. "Do you think we're being loud enough?" He whispered. You may be wondering why Gabriel and I are pretending to fight each other (you can tell it's pretend cause I would have totally beaten him by now if it were real). The fact of the matter is that in order to get out, we have to get someone to open the door, so by making as much noise as possible, we should get someone to come and yell at us.

"Yeah. I think I hear someone coming now." I hurriedly grabbed Gabriel and pushed him to the ground, straddling him and pulling my fist back as though I were going to punch him in the face.

"Stop!" I looked around to see a white coat rushing into the cell. Two erasers followed behind him and they hurried forward to pull me off of Gabriel. "What are you doing?" The scientists voice was high and frantic. "We haven't done the experiment yet! You might mess it up!" I glared at him as the eraser twisted my arm behind me.

"Oh well excuse me! If I had known you still had more torture for us I would have sat still and twiddled my thumbs!" The scientist stared at me for a moment. "But as is, I'll stop fighting...with Gabriel." Smiling I brought my leg up and kicked the white coat right in the groin. The eraser wasn't fast enough to stop me from kicking his kneecaps. I looked over at Gabriel who had taken out the eraser holding him. Together we tied the three up using the sheets from our cots. I smiled in satisfaction as they writhed on the floor. Karma's a witch!

Hurrying through the cell door (left open courtesy of the dumb scientist) we found ourselves in a long depressing hall. What is it with these people and hall's? Gabriel stopped for a moment then motioned me to the left. We ran passing cell doors and offices. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached the end of the hall where a window invited us to smash it.

"We have to go out and up, he'll be in one of the upper levels. Just look in the windows, and be careful." I looked at him uncertainly.

"What are you going to do?"

"Free the experiments that are here, the alarm will probably sound once you break the window so hurry." I nodded and smiled at Gabriel.

"Maybe you aren't so bad, after all this, maybe we could talk about you joining the team."

Gabriel looked at me for a moment. "Yeah, maybe we could." He smiled then slapped me on the shoulder. "Go get 'em tweety." I rolled my eyes at the nickname and turned to the window as Gabriel ran down the hall. Maybe he could be trusted after all.

******************

I slowly rose in the air as alarms rang from the floor where I had escaped. I was carefully peering in the windows, looking for Brachton. I spotted him in one of the highest windows in a conference room, the alarms apparently couldn't be heard up here because the people in the room weren't looking too alarmed, time to do something about that. I smiled and landed on the ledge, sliding the conveniently unlocked window open. I paused on the sill, listening to Brachton as he presented something.

"The recombinant testing is going very well and we hope to expand the program to include several new species in the next six months." I smirked and jumped into the room landing half crouched on the table.

Gasps went around the huge table along with surprised exclamations.

"Hi I'm Maximum Ride and I'm here to inform you that you suck." With that I leaped forward and was about to wrap my hands around Brachton's neck when the sound of gunfire rang through the room.


	30. Chapter 30

I instinctively threw myself down, covering my head. I looked up in the eerie silence that followed to see Brachton slumped against his powerpoint, blood flowing from his chest. Wait, wasn't I supposed to kill him? What's going on here?

"Well then, that was...unexpected." A man in a crisp military suit stood and looked around the table, I looked at him and sat up, jumping off the table as I did. "I'm Colonel Watergate. I assume that you are Maximum Ride?" I regained some sense of composure and I threw him a no-freaking-duh look. He looked around the table again and cleared his throat.

"Do you want to tell me why exactly the guy I was just about to kill is now dead on the floor?" The colonel smiled and somehow that smile didn't comfort me.

"Have a seat Maximum." I carefully sat on the edge of a comfy chair looking around the room nervously. "You see Maximum, in a project such as one that resulted in your creation, there is a certain amount of delicacy, caution, and restraint needed in order for the project to succeed. Brachton just didn't have those qualities he was a danger to the confidentiality of the project, he had to go. We've been planning his assasination for months now, you just happened to come to kill him the same day that we decided to do the same thing." I looked around the room, not spotting a gun man. I looked out the window and spotted a black figure on a distant building, a sniper.

"So what's going to happen with the program?" I asked, ready to fly if they gave me an answer I didn't like.

"Well, the program is being dissolved. It will no longer exist tomorrow as of 12:00." I stared at him in shock.

"So all the experiments, you're just releasing them? Well the ones who aren't being released right now."

"What?" I realized what I had just said and smiled angelically.

"My partner is downstairs setting people free, you know, the usual escape stuff." Colonel Watergate nodded.

"Well, all the experiments that The Rockway's can take in, will live with them. The rest are going to various homes around the country where they will be safe and free. All experiments will be given legal identities. Those who wish it will be given generous compensation with which they can start a new life." I stared at him in shock.

"It's over? It's really over? All of it? But how? It's such a huge operation." Colonel Watergate smiled.

"The government is a pretty powerful entity Ms. Ride. Now I suggest you go downstairs where I think you'll find your team. We'll contact you at the Rockway residence about your plans for the future. Good day Ms. Ride."

I left the conference room in shock. I was free, it was over. It was all over. No erasers were swarming over me, no one was ordering me to kill and jump through hoops, I was free.

A/N: IT ISN'T OVER!!!!!!!! just thought I'd let you all know that there are more chapters to come. I loved your guys' reaction to the cliffie, priceless. Anyway, a kissing scene or two is coming up (so there truepinkluv) along with a sidedish of drama. It's time for Max to sort out her personal life. Anyway, read and review!


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Hey peeps, sorry for the really slow update, I have no excuse other than I lost both of my hands in a tragic accident involving a rubber chicken and a guinea pig...just kidding. I've just been really busy. However, in my overworked business, I decided that my next story would be a crossover, Maximum Ride and (drum roll please) Twilight! Yay! Anyway, read on and review!

READ THIS: So because I'm a lazy author (bad me) I forgot that The flock had been captured with the team, so we're all going to pretend that the flock wasn't captured and they've been at the mansion the whole time.

After being released from the conference room with the assurance that I would be contacted about monetary compensation, I wandered down hallways searching for Gabriel and the team. A hazy feeling seemed to grasp me, I think it was shock. The building around me was strangely quiet, I saw no one, not that I noticed much. But hey, can you blame me? The organization I had hated for so long was just going bye bye, kaput, adios amigos. I was only startled out of my completely un Max-like state when I heard voices behind me.

"Max!" I turned to see Sam, Luke,Cole, and Gabriel. Sam ran forward and wrapped me in a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Me! What about you guys! Are you all safe? In one piece?" I turned to Cole and pulled him into a hug squeezing my eyes shut happily. I released Cole and turned to Luke I hugged him and stood back to look at them. I turned to look at Gabriel who was standing off to the side, watching our reunion almost indifferently.

"Thank you. For helping." Gabriel shrugged, looking at the floor. "And by the way, you were wrong." He looked up, his eyes finding mine his look questioning.

"What?"

"I didn't kill him. Someone else did." Gabriel nodded, Sam opened her mouth to ask a question but I motioned for her to be quiet. .

"I can see how that might happen. When I touched you, their plans probably weren't in place yet, but...he's dead?" I looked at him and rolled my eyes.

"No he's standing around the corner getting ready to shoot you." Gabriel rolled his eyes and I smiled. "So, remember what I said earlier? About you maybe joining the team-"

"Hold up! What are you talking about?" I turned to see Sam staring at me questioningly.

"Yeah what happened to the whole 'he's working with Fang, we hate him' bit?" Said Cole.

"I was wrong and we are-"

"Whoa nellie, did the great Maximum Ride just admit she's wrong?" I whacked Cole on the head and glared at him.

"As I was saying. I was wrong, and we are one man/woman short and I always like to have a full set of dangerous people behind me, you know, just in case, not that I think we'll need to do any real fighting now that...well I'll get to that later, but I think Gabriel would do well with us, if he wants to join that is." I turned to Gabriel, who shrugged.

"Sure."

I turned to the team and they shrugged. "Sure." Said Luke. "Sure, but I reserve the right to torture/harass any new members." Luke grinned.

"Sorry big man, but I already reserved the right to be the only person allowed to torture/harass anyone in this group, that includes bossing, so no bossing either." Luke pulled a face at me. "Cool, so I'm officially welcoming Gabriel to the team." I smiled at him then, something hit me.

"I am such an idiot, we should be gone, we need to get back to the Rockway house. I'll update you all on the way."

***********

Apparently Gabriel is not like Fang at all. For one thing he actually likes to talk, while Fang might have gotten more communicative he was still not chatty Kathy. Gabriel on the other hand definitely knows how to talk. I discovered this fact on the car ride home. It seems Gabriel has a talent for driving Sam crazy, in a bad way. If Cole hadn't intervened, Gabriel might have lost a few key body parts, Luke was laughing his head off from the backseat with me, so he wasn't much help. I had to yell a few times, but I can't do much from the drivers seat.

You may be wondering where I got this car I'm talking about, it's a funny story actually. You see when we got out of the facility we were being held in, we realised that we had no form of transportation that could transport us all. Conveniently enough, there was a government car sitting in the front drive, so I 'borrowed' it. The GPS was a real bonus as it helped us with finding the Rockway's house (it's speed capabilities weren't a bad thing either). Speaking of borrowed things, the government should guard their guns more carefully, not that I'm saying that I took any or anything.

So after a very long car ride (hearing Sam scream at Gabriel and Gabriel snicker back at her got tiring after a while), we pulled up to the Rockway estate. I punched in the code to the gates and pulled up to the front of the house.

We all piled out of the car and into the large double front doors. Inside the foyer, the house felt strangely empty. I motioned for the team to be quiet. I carefully stepped into the small room off the foyer that had monitors showing the views from different security cameras around the house. They all showed empty rooms. Looking more carefully, I saw that the back door was open, not good. I pulled out my 'borrowed' gun, clicking off the safety as I stepped back into the foyer.

The team, seeing my gun, pulled out their own. I motioned them forward, through the house, looking carefully in each doorway before I went through. The house was silent, our quiet footsteps the only sounds I could hear. As we moved into the kitchen, I faintly picked up muffled voices with my raptor hearing. The sounds were louder near the garage, motioning luke forward. I held up three fingers and he nodded. I put one finger down and he kicked the door open, I cocked my gun and stepped into the garage.

"Freeze!"

"Max?"

"Sarah?"

"What's going on Max?" I looked at Sarah in surprise, putting the safety back on and tucking it into it's holster.

"That's what I'd like to know. We thought something had happened when we got back and none of you were in the house. I nodded to the various other occupants of the house that were standing around the garage.

"We were coming to rescue you, you're supposed to be being held by the government." Said Flash.

"Oh excuse us, why don't we go back there and we'll wait for you to come get us. We could even crawl into some cages to make it seem authentic if you want." Flash rolled his eyes and Charles smiled.

"Well at least we know it's really Max." Said Sarah.

"Yeah Max doesn't know where her clone is but she's not here so we're good." Luke smiled complacently and I almost laughed at Sarah's expression. Regaining her composure she looked around at the guards and the Flock.

"Well, since we don't need to go on a rescue mission, why don't we go inside for some snacks and we can talk."

"Yeah we have a lot to tell you, introductions to make, you know the deal. Oh and Sarah? Later you might want someone to push the new car into the lake. I could have Luke smash it up, but that might be kind of messy, oh and where do you want us to put the guns cause they're load-" Sarah held up a hand and pointed to the door.

************************

It turns out the guards and the flock had been planning to bust us out, an unnecessary feat due to the fact that our captors had been dissolved (that sounds weird), a fact which was met with quite a strong reaction, scratch that. Everyone (not including the team) went crazy. I was kind of upset that I had caused such happiness in the flock but what can you do? When it was our turn to talk I may have left out the bit about Fang and Gabriel being brothers but that's irrelevant.

Anyway, after we were done. Sarah kicked us all out so she and Iggy could start dinner. After seeing Shania, I went up to my room for a long hot shower. Afterwards, I lay down on the bed in my towel, enjoying it's softness. I felt as though I were finally relaxing after years of being tense and waiting for attack. Now could start to think about my life, not my survival, my life. Sighing, I got up and began getting dressed as the sky gradually got darker.

I heard a soft knock at my door and, before I could say anything, the door opened. I had the sense of deja vu as I saw Fang in the doorway.

"What do you want?"

"Max, we have to talk."

"We don't have to do anything, you however, have to leave."

Fang shut the door and I tensed. "This tension between us is bad for everyone in the house."

"Oh, I'm glad you realize that, so when are you leaving?" Fang chuckled and I scowled at him.

"You always were a fighter."

"I still am a fighter, and you're about to see just how good of one I am if you don't get out."

"Max look, I know that Cam picking us over you may have dredged up bad memories, but maybe she was just moving past the old hurts that aren't import-"

"Shut up." My face went blank and I could feel anger welling up inside me.

"Max-"

"I trusted you. I trusted all of you because I thought you guys could be trusted. But you can't be, and as far as I'm concerned, neither can Cam. I'm still hurting from what you did, and that is why we will never live in peace. I just can't trust you. You betrayed me, all of you! I loved you dammit! I just can't pretend everything's great because it's not! Fang, you don't get it do you? You're being selfish and obstinate, and you know what? I don't care if I'm being immature in holding a grudge, because I want to hold a grudge. You don't deserve forgiveness, you're the same as Jeb! Goodbye Fang."

I pointed at the door and he glared at me. "You'll regret this Max, if we can't be friends, we're enemies."

"Ooh, my itty bitty wings are shaking! Get out!" Fang turned on his heel and stalked out the door.

**************

Epilogue

I hovered in front of the team's new house, watching as they piled out of the car below me. I had opted to fly, wanting to stretch my wings over the journey. The new house was part of the generous compensation the government had allotted us. The house sat on about 50 acres of property (including a lake) so we didn't have to hide our abilities.

We decided to come here to expand the operation Sarah and Charles had been working on. We would look for and try to help (if they needed it) experiments that had escaped the school. We would keep in touch with the Rockways so we could share information and coordinate things.I don't know what exactly the flock was doing as they had left the night before we left without so much as a word goodbye.

"Hey Max? Can we call rooms?" I looked down to see Sam staring up at me, her face eager.

"Yeah, but I get master." She nodded and raced into the house ahead of the boys. I laughed flew around to the back of the house where a huge deck overlooked the lake. I landed softly, letting my wings fan out around me. I leanded against the railing, taking in the view.

"It's amazing isn't it?" I looked up as Luke came out onto the deck behind me.

"Yeah, it is."

"I think we'll be happy here."

"Me too."

"Max?"

"Yeah?" Luke reached out and turned my face towards him. He leand forward, his lips connecting with mine. He pulled away and smiled at me.

Dinner's in thirty minutes." I smiled after him as he walked away.

Yes, I definitely think we'll be happy here.

THE END, KIND OF

******************

I know it was kind of rushed, but I can't do anything about that as I have a lot of homework to do. TELL ME IF YOU WANT A SEQUEL. I would love to shoot up to four hundred for my final review count, but I'll appreciate any reviews I can get. I'll also try to start the Max ride/twilight crossover, and tell me what you think about that idea as well (I have an idea for the plot that I don't think has been done yet). read on!

Fightingrose


	32. Sequel alertsneak peek

Hey peeps!

So here's the deal, I'm working on the first chapter of the sequel, and I thought I'd give you a sneak peek. I also wanted to thank you because I made it to 408 reviews, I love you all! Anyway, be on the lookout for the sequel it should be up uber soon. Read on!

I stared at the computer screen, my eyes going blurry in its bright glow. The names of the six escaped experiments we had found stared back at me. The shapes of the letters taunting me with the secrets they were hiding. We had been trying to find these kids for two months now and the closest we had gotten was a blurry image from a security camera in a parking kids were special, we didn't know what special powers they had, but we knew what made them special, Max 2 was leading them, and I had a feeling that the rest of the old flock's clones were with her.


End file.
